Tron: Primed
by Elhini Prime
Summary: We know the story of the Grandson of Flynn, what we don't know, is what transpired before and after he and his family came to the Grid. This is a collection of stories relieving us of our wondering. (Companion fic to Transformers Prime: Gridlock)
1. Fall and Rise

**So I got bored and I decided I was going to do little bits and pieces of _Transformers Prime: Gridlocked_ from the Grid side of the screen. This will include the "Return of Tron" (this chapter) "Rinzler's Return" (possibly next chapter) "Samand Quorra's capture" "Quorra's Rescue" and maybe some of the things that happen when the Users leave the Grid...I mean, we've still got Cyrus and Pavel and Tesler to deal with...don't we?**

Chapter 1

Fall and Rise

He was falling, his head hurt, his arms hurt, his legs hurt…_everything_ hurt. Rinzler opened his eyes, shaking his head as the Sea rushed up to meet him. He had just been flying a few minutes ago…what happened? Wait, the Users! They made him fall!

Splitting pain erupted into Rinzler's head, multiple error messages popped up, but he ignored them, trying to get his bearing so he could get back at the Us…

Tron shook his head, fighting desperately to throw off the virus. He had spent over a thousand cycles under that…that _thing_ and he was _not _about to spend another nano under it! He groaned in agony as hot pain shot through his head. He had to get to Flynn and hel…

Rinzler overrode the invasive programming. Never mind that…he was too close for comfort to the surface of the Sea of Simulation. He unhooked the spare baton on his leg and got ready to break it…

When something rammed into him. _Hard_.

Rinzler's head snapped up to see…Master?

CLU fought for the baton hard, trying to snatch it from the Enforcer's grip. Rinzler resisted, but CLU managed to get a hold on the baton, kicking Rinzler in the helmet repeatedly. Rinzler gave a choked cry of denial as CLU sent a crushing blow to his chin, sending him flying backwards…

And into the Sea.

Rinzler looked up and the last thing he saw was CLU flying towards the shining light of the portal. The Sea dragged him down as his circuits flickered once…twice as the invader struggled to take control. He fought for air, but his limbs were made of lead and he g-gave in…There was nothing he could do. After all these cycles of fighting and winning…

Rinzler was losing. The Enforcer's amber gaze flickered, fluttering shut…

And steel blue eyes snapped open as the circuits blazed blue-white.

Tron, after so many cycles of being suppressed…had won.

The Protector struggled to swim upwards, towards the wavering light of the portal, towards the shallows.

His head broke the surface and he gasped for breath, clawing at the ebon mask that hid his features. He managed to get it deactivated and the black shell collapsed under his fingers. He took his first breath of clear, fresh air in a long, long time.

He swam towards the shallows. Standing on wobbly legs as soon as he could. He turned his azure gaze towards the portal, maybe there was still time? Maybe Flynn got out! Maybe…

A white-hot explosion tore through the Grid-sky, a massive globe of white light that expanded by the second.

Tron fell to his knees, sending the water up in splashes.

He knew what had happened.

"No…" he croaked, his voice raspy from lack of use, "No…"

A loud, heartbroken, strangled scream ripped through the air and with horror, Tron realized it was him.

"NO!" he howled, "No…Flynn…why? Oh Users! WHY!?"

He covered his face, sobbing.

"Too little, too late, I failed. Alan-One, Beck, Flynn, I failed,"

He stayed there for a long time…he couldn't tell how long it had been, but when he finally finished, he stood, a thought occurring to him.

Only Grid-made things would be destroyed during Reintegration. Flynn (and sadly his Miracle, the ISO, if she didn't make it through the Portal), more than likely was gone…

A badly garbled image came to the front of his mind. A tall, blond male…with Flynn's eyes and attitude…looking up at him from the Arena's floor, defiantly staring him down even though a Disk was at his throat.

The Son of Flynn.

Perhaps he was still alive!

Tron got up and waded back to shore.

"_Have to find something to get me across…"_ he thought to himself as he searched.

If he remembered right…Flynn had set up an outpost near here, abandoned now since the ISOs stopped coming from the Sea…since CLU _poisoned_ it!

"_No, he's dead…there is _no_ possible way he could have survived that," _Tron thought to himself as he walked forwards, searching.

"_Aha!"_ he smirked as he came across two metal doors embedded in the side of a cliff, _"Found you!"_

He forced the doors open and walked inside. The only light in the room was that of Tron's blue-white circuits, but that was all the light the System Monitor's keen gaze needed. He'd been to this outpost before, seeing as Flynn wanted someone to guide the new ISOs to civilization instead of letting the wander around the Outlands where gridbugs and other unpleasant things could get them.

The Monitor scanned the area…finally finding what he was looking for.

He snatched the baton and quickly made his way out, limping a bit but still moving quite fast. He jumped off the cliff and rezzed the Lightjet, smiling to himself as he soared upwards on blued wings towards the dimly flickering Portal, still activated despite the explosion.

He circled around the Portal, amazed that it was still standing. He found a spot to land…right next to the pixels of the three man jet that Flynn, his son, and the ISO, Quorra had escaped in.

He derezzed the jet back into baton form and stood upright.

"_You really did a number on this place, didn't you, old friend?"_ he thought wryly as he carefully walked forwards up the stairway.

He was met by the worst form of destruction that he had ever seen. The once elegant structure that Flynn had taken _forever_ in creating had been mangled beyond repair. Smoke rose from the spot where the bridge connected to the portal, and Tron's gaze turned downwards, focusing on the blackened smudge that he felt had once been his best friend.

There was no sign of survivors.

Tron closed his eyes, breathing heavily.

"_Alan-One…forgive me,"_ he prayed, _"I failed you,"_

A faint moan caught his attention and the Monitor's gaze snapped up. He saw the edge of a shoe sticking out of some of the rubble and he hobbled towards it, wincing as pain lanced up and down his side.

He tore away the rubble with a frenzy, hoping that the Son of Flynn was still ali…

Tron froze…it wasn't the boy in the rubble.

The blue, aged gaze of Kevin Flynn fluttered open, locking blearily onto Tron.

"Alan…" he muttered, "How…What…"

He was bleeding badly from a nasty gash on his forhead, it also looked like one of his legs was broken, the other possibly sprained.

"No," Tron rasped, "Not Alan-One,"

Flynn's blue gaze lit up just a fraction and he gripped Tron's shoulder.

"Good to…have you…back…Tron…" he coughed, hacking up smoke and dust from his lungs.

Tron gently picked up his friend and they both limped over to the edge of the structure. Flynn's blue gaze looked up at the Portal…

Right as it winked out.

A tear streaked down the aged User's face as he bowed his head.

"Goodbye, Kiddo," he whispered, voice cracking.

Tron gently squeezed his friend's shoulder before rezzing the Lightjet and taking off. He had to get Flynn to some help…there was no other way…

Suddenly, the jet's sleek form started derezzing. Tron cursed bitterly under his breath as he guided the jet closer to the water's surface…if he could only make it to shore…

He wasn't that lucky.

Both Program and User hit the water, Flynn struggled to keep his head above the water, crying out as the viral code bit harshly into his wounds, Tron gave a low, determined growl and kept a firm hold on his friend's robe, pushing forwards and trying hard to get to shore and trying to stay conscious.

Suddenly, two strong white beams cast themselves over the water. Tron waved his hand in the air and the vehicle stopped, a tall, slender figure stepping out.

"Help…" Tron croaked, unable to shout, "Please help us…"

His vision started failing and his head sank beneath the waves.

Flynn fought on, he felt his friend go beneath the waves and he held on tightly.

"Help!" he screamed as loud as he could, his voice carrying far more than Tron's did.

The driver plunged into the Sea, swimming powerfully towards them before grabbing onto Flynn and dragging him towards the shore.

"It's ok," the Program said as Flynn hacked up the water that had gotten into his lungs, "You're ok, you're both o…"

The young Program stopped, his dark eyes flaring angrily, fearfully, and…sadly? As he saw Tron lying on the beach, still breathing, but out cold.

"Rinzler," the Program growled, unsheathing his Disk.

"Easy…" Flynn said, raising his hands, "Don't you know who that is?"

The young Program's eyes turned sad and he nodded.

"I do…and I know he wouldn't want to live like that," he said.

Flynn's gaze narrowed.

"Who is he then?" Flynn asked, "If you claim you know him,"

"His name is…was…Tron," the Program said, "He was a friend of mine,"

"Was?"

"Before he tried to kill me, yes,"

"What's your name, Program?"

"BECK-RF-307091 is my designation," the Program replied, "But everyone calls me Beck. Who are you?"

"You don't know?" Flynn asked with a slight smile, "Well, Beck, I'd thought you'd know the Creator of the Grid,"

Beck's dark blue gaze widened and he bowed his head sheepishly.

"Forgive me, sir," he stammered, "I…I didn't know,"

"It's fine," Flynn chuckled, extending his hand.

Beck took it, his circuits, even the pale blue ones, all flared brilliant white and Flynn's gaze turned thoughtful.

"Isn't that something," he muttered.

"What?" Beck asked, "What is it? And why did that happen?"

"Beck…what I'm about to tell you…is going to shock you a bit," Flynn said, "Beck…you're a Flynn Program, not mine…and not Sam's. But there's something about you that is telling me that you're going to be claimed as a Flynn Program,"

Beck's mouth opened, but he was cut off by a low moan.

Both User and Program's gazes snapped towards Tron, whose steel blue eyes slowly fluttered open and locked on Beck.

"Beck?" Tron rasped.

Beck nodded.

"It's me, Tron," he said, cautiously coming forwards and putting a hand on his mentor's chest.

Tron weakly grasped Beck's hand.

"Sorry…s-so sorry…" he said weakly, his circuits dimming dangerously.

"Easy," Beck said, "Just rest, ok? We're going to get you outta here,"

He turned back to Flynn.

"He needs energy…bad. Did you have a place to hide when CLU took over?" Beck asked.

Flynn nodded.

"How fast can that truck of yours go?" he asked.

Beck looked back at Tron, whose eyes slowly blinked shut.

"As fast as I need it to," he said firmly.

**So next iI'll probably go with the recovery scene...including the part where they find out Rinzler's not completely gone...**

**Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)**

**Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

**Máriessë ar mára tecië**

**Fair well and fair writing**

**Elhini Prime signing off.**


	2. Split Personality

**I know, I know, I normally don't post until I've got one review for the last chapter. But unfortunately I don't think that's going to happen with that one :( Hopefully this one gets a review! Anyway, here's where the trio finds out that Rinzler _might_ not be in control...but that doesn't mean he's not there...waiting...**

Chapter 2

Split Personality

"How long you think he'll be asleep?" Beck asked, watching over his mentor while Flynn fiddled with a blank Disk (now claimed as his), trying to repair the damage done to his legs.

"Don't know," Flynn admitted, hissing in pain as he snapped his Disk to his back and let the injuries heal, "He's a strong one…but I've noticed that he takes a while to recover. A millicycle…maybe more…"

"How'd you find him?" Beck queried, looking up at the User, "Last I heard he was in Gallium hunting down some ISOs that escaped the Purge as well as squashing it's Uprising,"

"I _didn't_ find him, he found me," Flynn corrected, standing up and testing his still very sore legs, "CLU lured my son here and sent Tro…_Rinzler_…after us. Chased us all the way to the Portal. He shook off CLU's reprogramming when we were a few clicks away and rammed into CLU's Lightjet, taking him down but unfortunately Tron didn't stop him in time…I had to,"

"That's what that big explosion was!" Beck started, "You did a Reintegration!"

Flynn hummed, nodding and coming over to Tron with a vial of brilliant blue liquid.

"But if you survived…" Beck reasoned, "Wouldn't CLU have as well?"

Flynn looked at the young Program and shrugged.

"I don't know,"

He turned back to Tron and gently shook the Monitor's shoulder.

"Hey, buddy, wake up," he said.

Tron tiredly swatted at Flynn's hand.

"Five more minutes, Alan-One," he growled, circuits dimming and brightening again.

Beck bit his lip, stifling laughter as Tron turned over on his side.

"He made a joke…that's a first," Flynn smirked.

He shook Tron's shoulder harder.

"Wake up, sleepy Program," he chuckled, his hand brushing against Tron's Disks.

The Monitor's eyes flashed open and he leaped up incredibly fast, twisting in the air and landing in a crouch, the twin Disks blazing and humming dangerously as Tron's circuits turned a faint red around the edges.

"Easy!" Flynn started, holding out his hands.

"CLU…" Tron rasped, glancing around wildly, "Where…?"

"Gone," Flynn said, "You're safe. You should thank your apprentice, he's the one who pulled us out of the Sea, almost derezzed you but…"

Beck's face flushed and he turned his head to the side as Tron put up the Disks and came up to his apprentice.

"You…tried…to derezz me?" he asked haltingly.

Beck gave a meek nod.

"I knew you'd rather derezz than remain CLU's crony," Beck muttered.

Tron put a tentative hand on Beck's shoulder.

"Thank you," he said.

* * *

As time wore on, Tron's speech had improved dramatically and he lost the rasp that had manifested over cycles of silence. It still carried that deep growl to it, but Beck and Flynn were both used to his voice sounding like that.

Tron looked up at the ceiling as he lay down on the bed, he wanted to rest, but something kept gnawing at him, ordering him not to.

He shook it off, his steel blue eyes starting to flutter shut…

_*Tron POV*_

_I ran through the streets of Gallium, chasing after a shadow that flickered right before me. My orders were to stop an uprising that started up here, against my friend…but after many cycles of searching, I finally found the leader of the Gallium Uprising and was closing in rapidly._

_The shadow was right in front of me, I unsheathed my Disks and sent them flying towards the shadow. The Program dived down, the Disks sailing harmlessly above it. They missed…oh well, more time for me to question then._

_I walked up to the sprawled figure, pushing it onto its back. I could feel the fear and anger that roiled from the hooded Program's eyes._

_I picked the Program up, hauling it to its feet. It was shorter than me, most Programs were, but she, and I could tell it was female just by the frame, was shorter than most. Her hood fell off as she struggled, sending golden hair cascading down her slim shoulders like those waterfalls Flynn told me about. Her blue eyes glared angrily at me and her teeth sank down into my hand. I growled and shook her, dislodging her teeth as she cried out._

_I dropped her to the ground, catching my Disks as they ricocheted back to my waiting hands. Her eyes widened as she looked at me._

_"…Tron?" she breathed._

_I froze…I hadn't heard that name in so long…Had we met before?_

_Come to think of it…she did look familiar…_

_"Oh Users, Tron!" she cried, "What did he do to you?"_

She's trying to trick you_, the voice that ordered the squashing of the Uprising said, _See? Even now, she's reaching for her Disk…

_I looked and saw that's _exactly_ what she was doing…_

_"Tron, please!" she begged as my Disks activated, humming angrily, "You don't know what you're doing! Stop! CLU did this! Fight it! Fight hi…"_

_She screamed as my Disk rammed through her midsection. A look of utter betrayal, dismay, and anger crossed her beautiful face._

_"Tron…" she whimpered…_

_And she burst into thousands of pixels._

_I looked up at the walls, looking at my reflection in their smooth surfaces._

Well done,_ the voice confirmed._

_My orange circuits pulsed brightly before I reattached my Disks._

_*End Memory*_

Tron shot up with a scream.

"Yori!" he cried, "Oh Users…Yori!"

He buried his head in his hands as Flynn ran into the room.

"Tron…what happened?"

"P-Please," the Monitor begged, grieving.

"Please what?" Flynn asked.

He looked up at his friend and knelt down at Flynn's feet.

"Please, derezz me,"

Flynn's blue eyes widened at the plea. Of all Programs…_Tron_ was the _one_ Program he would never have expected a death plea from.

"No," Flynn said, stammering over the word.

Tron pulled out his Disks, grabbing Flynn's hands and forcing him to hold them as they activated.

"Do it,"

"You heard me, Tron,"

"I don't deserve to live!" Tron cried, "I betrayed the Users, I betrayed you, the ISOs, Alan One,"

"You weren't in your right mind,"

"I KILLED HER!" Tron shrieked, burying his head in his hands again, "I killed Yori, I derezzed her with those blasted Disks!"

He grabbed the hem of Flynn's shirt.

"Derezz me, please Flynn, I don't deserve to live,"

Flynn stood still with shock and he heard footsteps outside the door.

"Flynn…what's going on?" Beck asked tiredly, rubbing his eyes.

He took in the situation and the dark blue eyes widened as Beck saw Flynn holding Tron's Disks and Tron gripping the User's shirt like he was hanging on for dear life.

"Beck, leave," Tron ordered, "I don't want you to see this!"

"No," Flynn growled, looking at the young Program, "Beck, come, see if you can knock some sense into your mentor,"

Beck came closer and he touched Tron's shoulder, the older Program flinching at the contact.

"Tron?" Beck asked.

Tron turned his head away and Flynn grabbed it, turning it to look straight at the Monitor's apprentice.

"_This_ is what you'll leave behind if I derezz you, Tron," Flynn snapped, "Beck is your legacy. He's a good fighter, but he still needs you as a mentor, as a _friend_. I lost my friend many cycles ago; I'd rather not lose him again. I've lost my son…I don't want to lose my oldest friend on the Grid,"

"I killed her," Tron sobbed, "I killed Yori…"

Beck knelt down to be beside his mentor, gently murmuring comforts. After all they'd been through, it was no wonder the older Monitor snapped.

"I'm taking his Disks so he doesn't try to derezz himself," Flynn said, "Just as a safeguard,"

Beck nodded and Flynn turned his gaze to Tron, helping the Monitor to his feet.

"You are going to stay in here," Flynn ordered, "You will _not_ try derezzing yourself, do you hear me, Tron?"

"Yes, Flynn," Tron murmured.

"Go back to sleep," Flynn said, "I'll see you both in the morning,"

Beck turned to look at his mentor and then at Flynn and then back again.

"C'mon, Beck," Flynn told him, "You need to sleep too,"

"Goodnight, Tron," Beck murmured, and Tron nodded in acknowledgement.

* * *

His eyes snapped open and he gracefully got out of bed, circuits casting a warm glow on the wall. He didn't recognize this place…no, he did…but it was a distant memory. He felt for his Disks…but they weren't there. He closed his eyes, feeling for them…ah, there they were.

He crept out the door, footfalls not making a sound as he moved along the glass floors. He sensed a Program in the room next to his and scanned over the statistics. Mechanic, he thought with a little distain, nothing special. Yet there was something else…something that wasn't _right_ with the mechanic. He detected great fighting ability, maybe even as great as his own. How on the Grid would a _mechanic_ get _that_ kind of experience?

He shook his head, he'd deal with it later…_after_ he got his Disks back.

He stalked into the next room where…he growled darkly.

The User survived. Flynn was alive.

A slow, sly smile crossed his face as he reached for the seemingly innocent Disk on the nightstand and twisted the conjoined objects free.

Not for long he wouldn't be!

The Disks activated in his palms.

* * *

Flynn couldn't sleep…he knew something was off.

As soon as the low, broken purring sound entered the room…he was up quicker than someone his age _should_ have been up.

He pulled off his own Disk as the orange circuited Program slashed the bed where he had been lying.

"Been a while, Rinzler," Flynn said as what _used_ to be his best friend cocked his head, his orange-amber gaze watching his every move.

"User," Rinzler rasped around the low, growling purr.

"Yeah, greetings Program," Flynn smirked, dodging as Rinzler shot forwards, "BECK!"

Flynn brought up his Disk as Rinzler's crashed on top of it, sending orange and blue sparks flying. Rinzler whipped one of the Disks upwards, gouging a thin but deep gash in Flynn's cheek. Flynn yelled and pushed Rinzler backwards. The Enforcer leaped at Flynn, knocking him to the ground and the Program raised his Disks high…

A white Disk slashed into Rinzler's wrists, severing them from his arms and sending the Disks clanging to the ground.

Rinzler let out an ungodly shriek and Flynn covered his ears as a white garbed Program knocked Rinzler off of Flynn and onto the ground, holding him down.

Beck…or rather Argon's Renegade.

"What took you so long!?" Flynn demanded, holding his cheek, "Costume change?"

"Sorry," Beck growled as he sat on Rinzler's chest, holding down the stumps of his arms, "But I had my reasons!"

"Renegade!" Rinzler hissed, thrashing.

"Like that?" Flynn asked.

Beck gave a nod, jerking back as Rinzler lunged upwards, his teeth snapping shut right where Beck's nose had just been.

"Tron! WAKE UP!" Beck shouted in the struggling Enforcer's face.

The amber gaze glared heatedly at him as Rinzler screamed again…this time in agony as his head thrashed back and forth

Suddenly, the purr cut off.

Slowly, the amber gaze turned a green color before flickering and reverting to a steel blue as the orange circuits flickered and pulsed, turning blue.

Tron groaned, blinking his eyes a few times to get them adjusted.

"What…what happened?" he asked, "Why am I in Flynn's room? _What_ are you doing on my chest, Beck…and why are my hands derezzed?"

Beck got off his mentor's chest and Flynn picked up Tron's Disk, fiddling with the code and speaking at the same time.

"You really don't remember?" Flynn asked, pulling out the bits of flashing red code.

"Remember _what_?" Tron demanded, his face turning worried as he noticed the blood going down Flynn's cheek, "Flynn, you're hurt, _why_ are you bleeding?"

"So I am," Flynn murmured walking up to Tron and joining his twin Disks together, "Turn around,"

Tron did as asked and Flynn snapped the Disks to his back, Tron watching as his hands reformed from the gleaming blue pixels that edged his wrists.

"Rinzler made a guest appearance," Flynn deadpanned.

Tron's gaze narrowed.

"Not possible, I threw him off," he protested.

"Yeah, tell that to my bed,"

Tron pulled out his Disks and pulled up his code…looking at the shimmering blue hologram and…

"There!" Beck announced, "Zoom in on your left chest area,"

Tron did so, noticing a tiny sliver of barely pulsating orange.

"Guess you didn't get him _all_ out," Flynn said.

**Next up I'm trying to decide whether to do a throwback chapter (where Rinzler is first unveiled and put into Argon to hunt Beck down) or to keep going into the future where Quorra and Sam find out about a _major_ surprise in their life...  
**

**Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)**

**Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

**Máriessë ar mára tecië**

**Fair well and fair writing**

**Elhini Prime signing off.**


	3. Son of Flynn

**I swear, this one was the hardest to write for me. This is the chapter where Sam finds out Quorra's pregnant with Raf and also the one where Raf is given up.  
**

Chapter 3

Son of Flynn

Quorra looked up from her book as the sound of Sam's Ducati rumbled just outside their apartment. She got off the couch, making sure that the bookmark was in the right place, and started towards the door as it opened, Sam walking the bike inside. He was home! Finally!

She smiled inwardly…there was something she _had_ to tell him! But…it might be better as surprise…well, maybe she'd just wait until after he got relaxed.

"How was work?" Quorra asked as Sam tossed his helmet on the couch and flopped down on the couch, "Not good then?"

Sam's blue gaze looked at her wearily as he lay down on the couch, his long, lean frame flopping over the edges. Marvin barked, the dog trotting up to his master and licking his hand. Sam rubbed the dog's ears and sat up.

"What did they do?" Quorra asked, sitting down next to her husband.

"Well, even though the stocks are up just because a Flynn is in the seat," Sam started, standing up, "The Board is jumping down my throat trying to get me to charge for the Operating Systems…which I won't do. Dad intended them to be free and that's what I'm going to do,"

"Sam…" Quorra started.

"Mackey is…_upset_ would be putting it lightly now that I've fired him and he's threatening to _sue_," Sam continued, pacing up and down, ignoring Quorra.

"_Sam_!"

"And Dillinger…don't get me _started_ on Jr.,"

He ran his hands through his hair.

"I sympathize with Dad about Dillingers," Sam growled, "Jr. is grinding on my last nerve! I'm lucky that Alan is still on my side…I don't know how Dad did it, Quorra!"

"SAM FLYNN!" Quorra finally shouted.

"WHAT!?" Sam snapped and then covered his face at the ISO's wide, shocked eyes, "Quorra…I'm sorry. It's been a long day,"

"I can see that," Quorra said dryly.

"What is it?" Sam asked, sitting down next to his wife and rubbing her back as she put her hands on her knees, "You still feeling sick?"

"Well…sorta…but I know why now," Quorra murmured, "Sam…did you ever hold a…"

She searched for the word but couldn't find the User term for it.

"Newly rezzed User?" she asked sheepishly.

"A baby?"

"Yes!" Quorra beamed, "A baby,"

"Well…yeah," Sam said, scratching the back of his head, "Lots of times. I…I like kids, well, younger ones. Gram always said I drew them to me, just like Dad did…"

"Sam," Quorra started, taking her husband's hands, "In about nine months, you'll be holding another one,"

Sam's eyes widened and he got on the floor, touching Quorra's midsection.

"You mean…" he started and Quorra nodded, smiling.

Sam got up and kissed her, laughing and nearly dancing around the apartment.

"I'm going to be a dad!" he crowed, "Oh, Dad…"

He stopped, his face falling.

"Dad would have loved being a grandpa," he sighed, "He would have spoiled the kid rotten and probably taught it some bad habits but…"

"He would have enjoyed it," Quorra agreed, "But as for bad habits…they've got their father to make up for it,"

"Yea…wait…hey!"

Quorra smirked as Sam came over and started tickling her, making her laugh uncontrollably.

"S-Sam! S-Stop!" Quorra gasped, "Haha! Users, Sam Flynn! Stop it!"

"We need to think of names," Sam said finally as Quorra's laughter died down, "A boy's and a girl's,"

Quorra nodded.

"You have any suggestions?" she asked.

Sam kind of shrugged.

"Jordan…for the girl's," he admitted, "It was Mom's name,"

Quorra smiled, "You miss her, that's why,"

Sam gave a nod.

"So the girl it'd be Jordan Yori Flynn," he explained, then noticed the face Quorra gave, "Something wrong?"

"Where did you hear that name?" Quorra asked, "Yori,"

"Lora's Program…Dad's stories," Sam shrugged, "Why…you didn't happen to…"

"Know her? Yes," Quorra sighed, "We were good friends. She led a resistance in Gallium City after CLU took over and your father fled to the Outlands,"

"How'd you meet her?"

"Actually, I met her when I walked onto the Grid, she showed me around Tron City," Quorra explained, "I didn't always live in the ISO Towers outside of Tron City. I've lived in the city itself, Arjia, Argon, Bismuth, Gallium, Purgos, and then of course the Outlands just to hide from CLU,"

"So what happened to her?" Sam asked.

Quorra's face grew sad.

"She derezzed,"

Sam put a hand on Quorra's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured, "Hey…how about we get off that subject huh? I have an idea for the boy's name,"

Quorra's face lit up in a sad smile as she nodded for him to continue.

"Rafael," Sam announced, "It was one of my great grandpa's names, we can call him Raf for short. And it kinda plays homage to another one of Dad's friends on the old server,"

"Who?"

"A Program by the name of Ram," Sam explained, "We just changed the 'M' to an 'F',"

"You're a regular old genius, aren't you, Sam?"

"Roy's sarcasm has rubbed off on you…hasn't it?"

"A bit," Quorra smirked, "And I suppose you have a middle name picked out?"

"Two," Sam smirked, "Both to people we knew. I guess its two people the both of us knew,"

"What are you forcing on our poor child now?" Quorra teased.

"Rafael Kevin Tron Flynn,"

Quorra's hands shot to her mouth as tears streamed down her pale cheeks.

"Sam…" she breathed, _"Tron_,"

"I know…I didn't know Tron as well as you did, and the fact he nearly killed us and Dad later…but it just felt, right,"

"No, Sam…don't you realize what you did?"

"No…what?"

"You picked, out of all the names in your father's stories, Yori and Tron,"

"Yeah, so?

"_So_, didn't your father tell you that Yori and Tron were…how can I say this…_married_ to each other? Just like Alan and Lora are?"

"And she _died_?" Sam demanded, "No _wonder_ Tron snapped. If Lora died I wouldn't be surprised if Alan went crazy!"

"No…Sam, you don't understand…" Quorra said quietly, "I watched a lot of things on the Grid, the Coup for one…the Purge for another…but the saddest I've ever seen…"

She looked up.

"Was Yori's derezzing,"

"How'd it happen?" Sam asked, "How'd she die?"

"CLU heard that Yori was hiding out in Gallium and she was leading an Uprising…just like the one in Argon lead by the fake Tron I told you about," Quorra explained, swallowing her tears, "He sent his Shadow as his test of loyalty to CLU,"

Sam frowned. His Shadow…but that meant…

"He didn't!" Sam protested.

"He did," Quorra said bitterly, "CLU sent Rinzler and Rinzler derezzed Yori,"

"Tron killed the love of his life…" Sam said, stupefied, "Didn't he try to stop himself?"

"He was too far gone, Sam," Quorra explained, "CLU had him under a tight leash…but…I _did_ see him hesitate when Yori said his name. She _recognized _him, Sam,"

"If you heard her say his name…why didn't you tell Dad Tron was alive?"

"I didn't believe it _was_ him. I just thought CLU changed Rinzler's armor to look like Tron's just to scare Yori," Quorra muttered, "And it worked,"

"Quorra, he can't hurt us. Rinzler can't, CLU can't, we're safe here. Our child is safe,"

"True that," Quorra nodded, "True that,"

Marvin yipped, his tail wagging as he put his front paws on Quorra's lap.

* * *

_9 months later_

"Push, Quorra, push!" Lora ordered.

Quorra gave a scream, crying from the pain while Sam jumped up, meaning to go through the doors but Alan caught him.

"She's fine, Sam," he reassured him, "Jordan was fine when you were born, Lora was fine when Jet was born…Quorra's going to be just fine,"

Sam's pleading blue gaze turned to Alan and Alan chuckled, patting the young man's shoulder.

"Just like your father," he chuckled, "Flynn about broke the doors down every time he heard Jordan yell,"

Suddenly Quorra shrieked and Sam lunged, Alan only just catching him as Sam's head hit the door.

"Alan! LET GO!" Sam yelled, "She needs me! LET G…!"

A high pitched wail pierced the air followed by Quorra's tearful laughter.

Alan let go of Sam's jacket.

"You can go in now," he told him and Sam bolted into the room…

Just to see Quorra cradling a tiny baby.

"Look who's here!" Quorra cooed to the baby and then turned up to Sam, "Say hello to the second Son of Flynn, Sam. Rafael Kevin Tron Flynn,"

Sam's knees buckled and he stumbled over to his wife, cautiously reaching out to touch the baby's tiny arm…noticing the faint silvery-white lines that ran along the boy's arms, chest, back and legs, noticing the tiny ISO glyph on his arms.

"Quorra…" Sam breathed, "He's…he's perfect…"

"Do you want to hold him?" she asked.

Sam gave a mute nod, blinking rapidly as tears of joy pricked at his eyes. Quorra gently handed the tiny child to his father and Sam cradled him gently.

"Hey there, kiddo," he whispered, "Glad to finally meet you,"

The baby's eyes fluttered open, a brilliant icy blue that matched Quorra's.

"He's got your eyes," Sam said, looking at Quorra.

"But he looks a lot like you too," Quorra replied, watching as Sam gently kissed the dark, curly head and gave him back to her.

"Alan," Sam started, "I've got to let the employees know I'm not going to be at work for a few days…or more. I'll be right back,"

Well, Sam wasn't exactly lying.

But instead of sitting at his desk at ENCOM, Sam went to the Arcade, sitting down at his father's old desk.

He pulled up an empty file and started writing, hoping to send the message to everyone…

Sam frowned and erased all the contacts, leaving the box blank and he started to type again.

_Hey Dad,_

_I know that you're not around anymore, but this feels right in any case. Quorra has been adapting well to our world, in fact, we got married about a year ago. ENCOM's stock is skyrocketing, guess that's because they've got a Flynn in charge, huh? But something happened tonight…a miracle I'd say. Tonight, July 9, 2012…twenty three years after you disappeared into the Grid…the Flynn family grew just a bit. You're a grandpa, Dad and I'm a Dad! His name is Rafael Kevin Tron Flynn. Rafael after great grandpa, Kevin after you, and Tron for well, Quorra and I thought that it'd be best to honor the memory of the Program who allowed us to leave the Grid…even if he didn't stop CLU from reaching us. We've decided on calling him Raf for short…kinda a play on the name Ram from your old stories. Guess they weren't stories, huh? Raf…Dad, he's got Quorra's markings. He's the first of his kind, an ISO/Human hybrid. God knows what trouble he's going to get himself into. I mean, he's a Flynn, we can't stay out of trouble can we? I guess that's it…I miss you Dad, I wish you were still alive._

_-Sam_

He hit save, maybe one day he'd show Raf this place? Who knew?

Sam brought up a new message to send to the employees and started to work on that.

* * *

"Flynn…what's that?" Beck asked, pointing at the datapad on the table, "I mean, I know what it is…but its flashing and who's EightyNine4ever?"

Flynn's head shot up and he sprinted over to the table, snatching up the datapad and looking over the words. He let out a laugh of disbelief and ran his hand through his hair.

"I don't believe it," he said.

"What?" Tron asked, walking up from his patrol, "What is it, Flynn?"

Flynn turned towards the Monitor with a big smile on his face.

"I have a grandson," he beamed, "He's half User half ISO…and Sam named him after you and me!"

Tron frowned and Flynn showed him the datapad…the Program's frown melted into a soft smile as he read and he looked up at Flynn.

"Your son is right about one thing," Tron started.

"What?" Flynn asked.

"The child is going to get himself into so much trouble. He _is_ a Flynn after all,"

"I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted,"

"Both,"

* * *

_1 year later_

"Daaaadaaa!"

Sam smiled as he walked into the office, watching as Raf's beautiful blue eyes lit up happily. The one year old was currently gumming a Frisbee that Sam had gotten sometime before his birth…he had _no_ idea Raf had found it.

"Rafael!" Quorra groaned, setting down and trying to take the Frisbee away from her son, "Let go,"

"NO!" the one year old cried, snatching the disk back and making Sam snicker.

Quorra glared at him.

"Sam…he could choke,"

"Not on something _that_ big," Sam replied…but he quailed under the icy glare Quorra gave him, "Raf…let go of the Frisbee,"

"No!" Raf cried, taking the disk and throwing it…

It nearly hit Sam, who yelped and hit the floor to avoid getting hit. Quorra snickered as Sam propped himself up on his elbows and glared at her.

"We need to get _that_ one in the Disk Wars," he finally growled, "He's good with a Disk,"

"Over my derezzed body," Quorra growled.

Sam held up his hands in surrender.

"So, mind telling me why you brought him here?" Sam asked, "I thought you left him with the day care below?"

"He wanted his 'Dada' and his 'Mama'," Quorra shrugged, getting on the floor and playing with her son's tiny fingers, "He wouldn't stop crying,"

"He's getting stronger," Sam noted as he knelt down next to them and Raf yanked on Sam's hair.

"He's a User," Quorra replied, "Of course he is, just like his father…and his grandfather,"

"Half User, remember?"

Right at that moment, Jr. walked in.

"Sorry to bother you, Mr. Flynn," Jr. said, pushing up his glasses nervously as Quorra sent a venomous glare his way.

Sam smiled inwardly, remembering when Quorra put the man on his back just because Jr. started yelling at him.

"This just came in the mail for you. They put it on _my_ desk of all things,"

"I'll have to talk to the new intern…" Sam nodded as he took the note, "sorry about that Ed,"

Jr. and left while Sam read the note

_I know where you are, Son of Flynn, I know you're harboring the ISO, I know you had a son with her. I have my ways of bringing you down. Your son will be first, User._

If the note didn't scare him…the signature did. Who knew three letters could inspire so much fear?

_-CLU_

"Sam?" Quorra asked, picking Raf up from the floor, "What is it?"

Sam closed his eyes and showed Quorra the note, her eyes went huge.

"That's not possible! He…he's dead! Your father…"

"I know…but we can't take any chances," Sam sighed, looking at Raf, "Not while our son's life is in the balance,"

He turned his gaze back up to Quorra.

"Get Alan, I need to talk to him,"

* * *

_Months Later_

"This way," Alan said, showing the young couple into Sam's office, "Sam…they're here,"

Sam looked up from his desk at the visitors, nodding sadly.

"Come on in," he said, "Alan…can you give us some privacy?"

Alan nodded, biting his lip. He couldn't even imagine what Sam, or Quorra for that matter, were feeling at that moment. He closed the door and the couple sat down.

"I suppose you know why you're here?" Sam asked, they nodded, "Good, I…"

"We just don't understand _why_," the young woman interrupted, "Sorry, but I had to know,"

"Seeing as you both were the best candidates that Alan could find, coupled with the fact that you live pretty much in the middle of nowhere…you do have a right to know," Sam sighed, leaning forwards, "A few months ago, a threat was made on mine and my wife's son's life. We don't know when the threat will be made true and we don't want to know. The best thing that we could come up with was to let our son go. He'd be so far from anything ENCOM related that the enemy wouldn't be able to find him and hurt him. We found you both,"

He turned towards the door.

"Quorra?" he called.

Silence.

"Quorra," Sam started, getting up and walking over to the door, opening it to see Quorra holding their sleeping son.

Her pale face was red and her eyes were bloodshot from the tears that were still streaming down her face.

"Sam…I can't do this," she choked, "I can't…my _son_, our _son_…"

Sam put a hand on her shoulder.

"We have no choice," he reminded her, voice raspy from tears, "C'mon…let's let these two meet ou…_their_ son,"

Quorra grudgingly took the steps into the room, a death-grip on her son as she nuzzled his tiny head, tears streaming.

"He's _beautiful_!" the young woman breathed, reaching out and touching the boy's arm.

Quorra pulled away but ran into Sam's arm. She reluctantly let the young woman hold Raf, turning her head to Sam's shoulder and she heaved silent sobs.

"What are these?" the man asked, looking at the faint silver-white lines that sketched lightly across the boy's skin.

His 'circuits'.

"Birthmarks," Sam replied, "Doctor says its nothing to worry about, he gets it from his mother,"

He gently pulled the collar of Quorra's shirt down to expose her collarbone and the white marks there.

"We do have an agreement…that he keeps his name?" Sam asked softly.

"Rafael is a good name," the man nodded, "We would be honored to be allowed to let him keep it,"

Sam nodded his thanks and he shook the man's hand as he stood.

"One more thing…he _can't_ know about us…as much as we wish he could," Sam said, "When he's of age…and if he finds out he's not your son…you can tell him. But…it's best if he never knows he's adopted,"

The couple nodded as the woman stroked Raf's downy, wild, brunette curls.

"Can…can I hold him? One last time?" Quorra breathed, "Please?"

The woman gave a sad smile and handed the one year old to his mother. Raf's sleepy blue eyes blinked open as Quorra held him close, sobbing in his hair.

"Mama?" he cooed, reaching up to pat her nose and Quorra lost it.

Sam gently pried his son from his distraught wife's arms, touching his head to Raf's.

"You be a good boy," he told his son, voice gruff from unshed tears, "You do everything the Esquivels tell you, ok kiddo? I…"

Tears started rolling down his cheeks as he looked into the icy blue eyes…that were starting to thread with brown. Like tiny, spider web diamonds.

"Dada?"

Sam bit the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted blood, but he handed his son back to Mrs. Esquivel.

"Dada?!" Raf cried, but Sam bowed his head.

"We will keep him safe," Mr. Esquivel promised and Sam grunted in acknowledgement as the couple walked out the door.

Raf gave a heartbreaking cry as the door closed and Sam had to restrain Quorra as she leaped forwards.

"He's safer this way…" he choked and Quorra started sobbing hard, turning to her husband and sobbing into his chest.

Sam held her close and he figured that everything he'd been through: his mother dying, his father's disappearance, the first breakup he ever had, all the bones he ever broke, the Disk wound on his right arm, his father dying…

Out of all that…losing his son was the thing that almost killed him.

**So a little explanation on Raf's eyes. ISOs adapt to their surroundings, since Raf's new family has brown eyes and such, he'll start to take on those characteristics as he ages. In _Gridlock_, his eyes start turning back to blue, but it'll take a long, _long_ time before they return to the same color they were when he was born, seeing as he's not a baby anymore. Up next...what do you guys want to see? A throwback chapter where we see some Pre-Legacy stuff? Or go on to the future?  
**

**Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)**

**Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

**Máriessë ar mára tecië**

**Fair well and fair writing**

**Elhini Prime signing off.**


	4. One Program Revolution

**So we're traveling to the past this chapter. This one is Pre-Legacy, Post-Uprising...and it gives details (and my take) on the creation of Rinzler.  
**

Chapter 4

One Program Revolution

_December 15, 1989_

"You're not serious about this…are you?" Beck asked, looking through the binoculars at the armory, "Tesler's armory is probably the most secure thing in Argon…excluding CLU's throne ship. We both get in there, we're sure to be caught,"

"Which is why _you're_ going in there while _I _go to the throne ship," Tron replied, standing straight.

"Are you glitched in the head?" Beck demanded, standing as well, "You should be taking it easy…we've only had you fully healed for a cycle!"

Tron shot his apprentice a glare.

"Are you saying I'm too _old_ for something like this, Beck?" Tron growled dangerously.

"Wha…no!" Beck hurriedly corrected, "It's just I…you…fine,"

He put up his mask and glared at his mentor behind the black glass.

"If you die, I'll Derezz you," he threatened half-heartedly.

Tron chuckled to himself, putting a black-gloved hand on Beck's shoulder.

"I'll be _fine_, Beck,"

And he left.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Beck sighed, "It should…but it doesn't,"

He shook his head and started towards the armory. Maybe he'd be able to give Tron some time by creating a big enough distraction so that CLU was drawn out?

He shrugged, guess he'd have to see.

* * *

Tron carefully made his way into the throne ship, sneaking past guards and, on one occasion, Dyson.

He had to restrain himself from derezzing the Program right then and there.

_"Focus,"_ he berated himself, _"Beck's counting on you…the whole Grid is counting on you,"_

He gave a grim smile.

_"Just like old times, eh Flynn?"_

Images of driving away from tanks on lightcycles, commandeering a solar sailer, defeating the MCP all came to the forefront of his mind. Ram, Yori, Dumont, Flynn…all of them in white armor and blue circuits. Even Flynn.

He gave a soft sigh.

Those days were long gone and they wouldn't come back ever again.

Ram had been derezzed, Dumont had opted to stay on the old server, Flynn was in exile _who knows_ where, Tron himself had been wounded but now was fighting a revolution, Yori had disappeared after the Coup and Tron hadn't been able to locate her.

He looked around the corner, realizing that the guards had gone.

_"Alan-One, I hope you're watching over me,"_ Tron thought as he got up and started quietly down the hall.

He went over to the door and opened it…just to see a bunch of Black Guards.

"Guess this isn't the break room," Tron muttered dryly as the Guards' faces snapped towards him.

"Identify!" they all called out.

Tron took out his Disk…twisting it and revealing the second Disk that he always kept docked as a reminder of the Coup.

"This good enough identification?" Tron growled and he charged forwards.

The Guards didn't stand a chance. Tron cut them down easily, easier than the four Guards that had ambushed him and Flynn on that fateful day.

He stood, panting in the middle of the room with orange pixels littering the ground and deactivated his Disks.

"Maybe Beck was right," he sighed, "Maybe I should have taken it easy…"

He looked at the room and shook his head.

"Then again…this _was_ easy," he muttered, then freezing, "_Too_ easy…"

He whipped around right as a staff cracked against his helmet, sending the older Monitor stumbling backwards.

"Now," CLU hummed as his guards surrounded Tron, grabbing his arms and taking his Disks, "Which one are you? Tron…or the Renegade?"

"Take your best shot, CLU," Tron growled.

"Oh I plan to," CLU smirked, tilting Tron's head up, "Doesn't matter which one you are…I'm going to have fun with you in any case. If you're the Renegade…then I get to watch as you attempt to kill your own mentor. If you _are_ Tron…well, let's just say, your apprentice is just as good as derezzed,"

Tron started forwards, trying to get at CLU, but the Guards held him back.

"Take him to the Brig…have Dyson take care of our…_guest_,"

* * *

"You haven't even screamed," Dyson hummed as he traced the spinning blade over Tron's midsection, just barely scratching the code, "Either you are Tron and then you've got a high pain tolerance, or your mentor has taught you well, Renegade. To think…I actually thought you were Tron!"

Tron kept silent. If he opened his mouth, there would be some things coming out of his mouth that would cause him to beg his User's forgiveness.

"Too bad I can't get that helmet off," Dyson sighed, "I would _love_ to know who CLU is going to have fun with,"

"Go derezz in the Outlands," Tron growled darkly, "_Alone_,"

"Ah, Renegade, Tron, you wound me,"

"Let me free and I'll _really _show you what wounded feels like," Tron hissed.

"Dyson," CLU's voice ordered, "Leave us,"

Dyson nodded and headed out of the room, but not without glaring heatedly at Tron…who smirked behind his mask as he put his head back down.

"Hello, Tron,"

Tron looked up wearily to see CLU striding towards him.

"Very good, CLU, you finally figured out I'm me," he snarked.

"I see Anon and Flynn rubbed off on you then," CLU deadpanned.

"You should take a few pointers from your brother Program, CLU, lighten up,"

"Haven't you heard, Tron?" CLU asked, walking around the Monitor with his hands clasped behind his back, "Anon's dead, Flynn with him,"

"Flynn escaped your little sneak attack," Tron growled, internally mourning the loss of his star apprentice.

Even Beck hadn't reached Anon's level yet. He was close, Cyrus had been really close as well (not as close as Beck, but getting there), but Anon was the best out of all three of them.

"Yes," CLU said, walking behind Tron.

The Monitor tried to turn around, but his bonds prevented him. CLU patted his old friend's shoulder and unhooked Tron's Disks from his back. Tron gave a low growl and CLU glared at him.

"Don't growl at me," the Admin snapped, "you'll be fine…I just want to see who exactly is this Renegade and how close are you two,"

Tron watched as CLU brought up the memory files with Beck…all of them with his mask engaged. CLU growled, tossing the conjoined Disks to the ground while Tron watched with growing amusement.

The dictator strode over to Tron and put his hand on the back of the Monitor's neck…where the failsafe for the mask was. Tron thrashed, trying to get away, but CLU had a good grip on the back of his armor and derezzed the helmet.

"See, told you I knew it was you," CLU smirked as Tron's steely blue gaze glared at him, "Now, maybe you can explain something to me,"

"Why you're crazy?" Tron asked, smirking as CLU's gold rimmed blue eyes narrowed angrily, "Sorry, but I'm afraid _Flynn_ couldn't even figure that one out,"

CLU raised his hand and backhanded Tron across the cheek, causing the older Monitor to growl in pain as the slap bit into raw code.

"Who and where is the Renegade, Tron," CLU demanded, "I won't ask a second time,"

"Pity, because I might have answered the second time,"

There was a sharp crack as CLU backhanded Tron again.

"Tell me," CLU growled.

"You are _not_ getting anything out of me, _virus_," Tron spat, "Just know you can search for my apprentice until the Grid fails, but you and your goons that you have now will _never_ find him,"

Something flickered across CLU's face. Tron knew that look…it was the same look that Anon got when he was plotting a prank, or the look Flynn got when a new, impossibly insane idea crossed his mind.

Tron never liked that look.

"Oh _them_?" CLU smirked, picking up the twin Disks that had lain forgotten on the floor, "They're expendable,"

His eyes gleamed as he looked at his former friend.

"They're _nothing_ compared to the Program that'll be hunting down the Renegade,"

"What are you talking about," Tron growled, "Anon destroyed your virus by leading him to your warship. You're _bluffing_,"

"Am I?" CLU asked innocently.

"If this new Program _is_ real," Tron started, "What makes you think that my apprentice will just _let_ himself be caught? He's _smarter_ than that,"

"This one is different," CLU grinned, "This one knows your apprentice's every move,"

Tron frowned, confused…and then it dawned on him.

"No," Tron breathed, "No…I won't do it!"

"I never said I needed your permission," CLU snarked, pulling up Tron's code.

"You won't get away with this," Tron snarled, straining his bonds, trying to get free so he could strangle the Program in front of him.

"You won't remember," CLU reassured him, his fingers dancing over the code, turning bits and pieces of it brilliant orange red.

"Mark my words, CLU, I _will_ derezz you!" Tron hissed, steel blue eyes burning in hate.

"Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say," CLU said nonchalantly as he waved his hand, "Ah…there we go, perfect!"

He held up the now red-orange Disk, walking over to Tron.

"No!" Tron roared, thrashing so that CLU had to work to get the Disk's connected, "NO!"

CLU struck the Monitor on the back of the head, making Tron groan in pain and hang his head while CLU snapped the conjoined Disks to Tron's back.

A message popped up in Tron's vision.

**_Disk Synchronization in progress_**

_Deny!_

**_Disk Synchronization terminated_**

"Oh no you don't," CLU growled, unhooking the Disks again and replacing one of them, keeping the other in his hand.

**_Disk Synchronization in progress_**

_Deny!_

_Override_

**_Synchronization at 10%_**

Tron growled, thrashing as he tried, and failed, to override CLU's commands.

"The more you struggle the more it'll hurt, Tron," CLU said, but Tron ignored him, fighting through the pain which was increasing with every moment.

**_Synchronization at 50%_**

He watched in horror as his circuits started flickering, occasionally they would blink out…only to return a deep red-orange.

_"Alan-One! Help! Please!"_ Tron prayed desparately.

**_Synchronization at 75%_**

He screamed in frustration and partially in fear as the words he had told Beck just a cycle ago rang true.

_"If you don't get me out in time, I will become CLU's greatest weapon against you,"_

**_Synchronization at 99%_**

He gave a strangled howl as the last circuits, his insignia, flared orange.

**_Synchronization Complete_**

He slumped forwards, tired. Everything ached, hurt…

"You are my second in command," CLU told him.

The defeated Monitor raised his head, his amber gaze weary as the orange lights in his suit flickered, throwing shadows on the wall.

"I am your second in command," he said, "I serve CLU,"

There was a sliver…infinitesimally small…that was still Tron. And it fought _back_.

"N-No," he panted as the circuits flared blue, "I'm Tron, I…"

The invasive code latched on, causing the Program to shriek as the warring codes struggled. The eyes flickered blue and Tron lashed out.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!" the Monitor shrieked as CLU lunged out of the way, quickly tapping on the Disk in his hands and pulling up the code.

An orange strand of code flickered dully in the bright blue code. CLU pulled it out and toyed with it a second before inserting it again and activating it.

The Monitor screamed, an eerie, haunting cry that froze CLU's circuits...and then…it just stopped.

CLU opened his eyes and looked at the ensnared Program.

The Program trembled, his legs shaking as they tried to hold his weight.

CLU smiled.

"Look at me," he ordered.

The Program did and CLU nodded, deep orange-amber irises looked back at him where steel blue used to be.

"Your name is Rinzler," he told the Program, "You belong to me and will obey my every command,"

"My name is R-Rinzler," he repeated, obediently, "I belong to y-you and will obey your every c-command,"

CLU's eyes narrowed as he saw the faintest green speckling the amber eyes…green that was steadily turning blue.

He grabbed Rinzler by the shoulders, hard.

"You are _not_ getting out, Tron," CLU threatened, angrily, "You're _mine_ now,"

Rinzler blinked, confused. Who was Tron?

CLU relaxed as the blue specks dimmed, turning green and then fading back to amber.

He pressed a button on the side of the bonds and Rinzler stepped free, his hands fell to his sides, held slightly apart, ready for action.

"Identify," CLU commanded.

"Designation: Rinzler," the Program rasped, voice strained from Tron's screaming.

"And your purpose?" he asked Rinzler.

"To serve CLU and to obey all orders from CLU,"

His expression grew joyous and he put a hand on Rinzler's shoulder.

"This will be an enjoyable experience, Rinzler," CLU smiled.

But Tron had the last word.

Rinzler growled, clutching his throat, gasping in pain as he fell to the ground, amber eyes wide and staring.

CLU watched in growing anger as he looked at the Disk held in his hand.

**_Vocal Processor Damaged. Unable to Rectify._**

He could almost hear Tron laughing as a low, purring growl slipped through Rinzler's throat incessantly.

Rinzler grabbed the hem of CLU's robe and CLU looked down just to hear Rinzler speak once more.

"I…win," Tron growled as Rinzler's light flashed blue and then returned back to orange.

CLU gave an irritated snarl…but then another idea occurred to him.

"Rinzler, go to Argon, find the one called the Renegade…and derezz him,"

Rinzler nodded and started out, he was fine with the mission. Meanwhile, deep inside, Tron keened. As Rinzler walked he put his hand up to his face and felt the deep scar that slashed down his eye and cheek. He pulled it away and noticed that his fingertips were wet.

He was crying.

* * *

"Beck!"

Beck jumped, hitting his head on the tank he was working on.

"Ow! Users, Zed, that hurt!" Beck growled, rubbing his head as he turned to face his friend, "What is it?"

Zed's expression turned sheepish and he scuffed his foot on the floor.

"Zed…"

"I've got a date with Mara tonight," he finally admitted, "Can you take my shift? I mean, I've done the same thing for you, and I thought since you didn't have anything going on…"

Beck looked out towards the mountain hideout. He _meant_ to go looking for Tron, the Monitor never returned to the hideout after they split up.

He didn't like the idea, but Zed had put up with a lot from him.

"Go," Beck said, "I'll take your shift,"

"Thanks, Beck, you're the best!"

"Yeah…I guess," Beck muttered as he turned back towards his work.

Later, Beck put the recoder back in his locker and grabbed his baton and, after looking around, the white Renegade Disk along with a map of Argon with dozens of red marks on it.

"Alright, Tron, let's see if you're in this section tonight," Beck sighed as he crossed off another sector and started off.

He scoured the sector, looking under every bit of code, every digital rock…still nothing of his mentor.

Beck sighed, sitting down on the ground and derezzing his helmet. Where could he be? He _never_ did this…was this another one of his exercises? To see how well he'd function if Tron had disappeared?

If it was…Beck had decided he failed it.

He looked up at the mountain. Maybe he'd go back there…

A tiny flicker of blue-white light flashed on the slopes and Beck stood up ramrod straight.

"Tron?" he asked, hopefully.

The light continued to flicker and flash…a code?

Beck gave a nod, he'd find out. It was time to get to the hideout.

* * *

"Tron?" Beck asked, looking around the darkened hideout, "You here?"

There was no answer…just a low electronic growl.

"I got your message…where are you?"

A flicker of orange, the familiar 'T' insignia glowing faintly as a shape advanced.

"There you are," Beck sighed in relief, "What are…"

A Disk came hurtling at him, Beck dodged out of the way, flicking his own Disk out and turning the lights on. The figure in front of him looked like Tron…but wasn't…

"Tron?" Beck asked.

Beck got a growl from him as the Disk returned…the famed second Disk appearing in his hand. Beck had only seen him use it once…never again.

"TRON!" Beck yelled as his teacher attacked him.

Tron had trained him, but his expertise very much outweighed Beck's. Beck was pinned quickly, Tron's Disks under his throat.

"Please!" Beck yelled, "It's me! BECK!"

Tron groaned in pain, shaking his head as the orange lights and amber gaze flickered.

Suddenly, they turned white.

Tron's steel blue gaze met Beck's dark one.

"Beck…go…" Tron's voice growled, straining, like he was holding back something in his Programing, "Don't…look for me…can't…fight…you keep…the revo…lution…alive…"

Beck shook his head.

"Tron…"

Tron's eyes flickered orange and then back to blue while the Monitor grunted in pain.

"Beck! GO!" he finally yelled, getting off Beck and holding his head, "GO!"

Beck closed his eyes, trying to keep tears away and he ran…

Right as an orange Disk thudded into the wall where he had been, slashing his side.

* * *

"That was so much fun!" Mara grinned, tugging on Zed's arm, "We're going to have to do that again…soon!"

"I agree," Zed nodded as they walked into the garage, "It was a fot of lun, I mean a lot of fun…"

Mara laughed as Zed's face flushed.

"You get nervous this often?" Mara asked, raising a brow.

"Well, o-only when I um…well, you see…"

The sound of an engine roared into the garage. Zed grit his teeth and turned around.

_"So help me when I see who interrupted me I'm gonna…_"

He froze as he saw Beck dismount the lightcycle, clutching his side.

"Zed…Mara…"

"Beck? Are you ok?" Mara asked, coming forwards.

"I-I'm f-fi…" Beck stammered before he fell, revealing the deep Disk wound in his side.

Mara's eyes widened, "Zed! Get a medic!"

"NO!" Beck yelled, "N-No medic!"

Zed ran to his best friend and helped Mara lift Beck up.

"O-Office," Beck growled, "A-Able has m-medicine,"

The threesome limped over to the office, Zed laying Beck on the table while Mara shut the door and rummaged around Able's belongings, hunting for the medicine Beck said was there.

She pulled out a vial of glowing liquid and Beck yelled.

"That's it!" he shouted, "O-Over h-here,"

Mara came over and started working on Beck's side, ignoring the Program's growls of pain.

"Who did this to you?" Zed asked as Beck relaxed a bit.

Beck went silent. How could he tell them that Tron did it? They all thought Tron was the Renegade.

"R-Rogue," Beck stammered, "W-was out on a w-walk and g-got j-jumped,"

"You're lucky it isn't that bad," Mara said, "I'm surprised you haven't derezzed,"

"M-Me too,"

Mara kept working, biting her lip as she worked. She brushed against Beck's wrists and Beck yelled in pain as the bruised circuits from his bit with Cyrus lit up.

"Users, Beck, what did you _do_ to yourself?" Mara demanded.

"Not me!" Beck snapped, trying to sit up but Mara shoved him down, "Blame Cyrus, he did it,"

"Cy?" Zed asked, "Your friend?"

"No friend of mine," Beck hissed angrily.

"Zed! Stop irritating him!" Mara shouted, "The more agitated he gets the worse his wounds get!"

"Sorry,"

There was a rumbling sound outside and all three looked up.

"Zed, go see what's going on," Mara ordered.

Zed gave a nod and started out. He stopped as he peeked out of the doorway.

"CLU's leaving!" he said in disbelief.

"What?" Beck asked, sitting up despite Mara's protests, "He's _leaving_?"

"Yeah…and there's Recognizers…lots of them,"

One of said Recognizers landed in front of the garage and Tesler's face lit up the open space.

_"Greetings Programs,"_ Tesler said, _"As you know, our glorious leader, CLU, has visited Argon to see our fair city. Today he takes his leave and with joyful news for Argon as well. The Renegade, the troublemaker, has been derezzed thanks to the Program known, as Rinzler, who follows CLU back to Tron City,"_

It was all Beck could do _not_ to shout 'I'm not dead!'

But he kept his silence, Tron had saved him, saved Argon…but at a horrible price.

Rinzler now was a part of CLU's personal entourage.

* * *

Rinzler stood in front of the window in his quarters, watching as Argon slowly receded past the horizon.

The Enforcer held his head, growling in pain as another splitting headache formed and he hit the floor, twitching as the imperfect coding resurfaced. His amber eyes flicked blue only for an instant, but it was enough.

"Goodbye…Beck…I'm…Sorry," Tron whispered before the Rinzler virus took over again.

Rinzler heard his door open and he shot to his feet, his amber gaze scanning over his master.

"Rinzler, I have another job for you," CLU said, "I need you to go to Gallium, there's been ISO's reported in that area and a rebellion is threatening to take over the city. Find its leader…and Derezz them,"

Rinzler gave a short bow, and CLU put his hand on the Enforcer's shoulder, causing the Program's purr to intensify.

"Go," CLU ordered and Rinzler prowled out.

**Next time, we'll be back in the future, well, past where Raf gets adopted anyway. Maybe have a little section on where Raf meets Jack and then later Miko?  
**

**Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)**

**Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

**Máriessë ar mára tecië**

**Fair well and fair writing**

**Elhini Prime signing off.**


	5. A Friend

**And we're back to the future! So in this chapter, Raf gets Beck's coding all figured out and he talks with the Program for the first time via I/O tower, also...we have the ISO meeting the Prime for the first time!  
**

Chapter 5

A Friend

"RAFAEL JORGE GONZALEZ ESQUIVEL!" Mrs. Esquivel yelled.

Silence.

"Rafael!"

A soft rustling noise.

The petite woman sighed and walked down the hall to her adopted son's room, opening the door.

"Rafael," she started, tapping her foot.

The young boy looked up from the computer that was lying on his bed…or rather the pieces of a computer, his dark brown eyes wide as they locked onto his mother's.

"Sí, Mama?" he asked innocently.

"I called your name…_twice_,"

"Sorry, Mama," Raf apologized, "I heard you the second time though!"

Mrs. Esquivel shook her head. That didn't surprise her. Rafael _never_ responded to his full name unless he knew you were talking to him. She chalked it up to being the fact that it wasn't the name that his parents gave him, but they never told her what his full name was. So she and her husband made them up.

"The bus is going to be here soon, Rafael," she told him.

The nine year old sighed.

"Do I _have_ to go?" he asked, "Can't I just…stay here?"

"Rafael…"

"Fine," Raf pouted, getting up off his bed, being careful not to break his computer parts.

"What on earth are you doing anyway?" Mrs. Esquivel asked as she put Raf's jacket on him.

"I'm writing," he replied, "And fixing the computer so it'll run better,"

"Writing?"

"Sí," Raf nodded earnestly, "A program for Papá,"

"I see," Mrs. Esquivel nodded, "Some of those have names…have you named it yet?"

"BECK-RF-307091," Raf rattled off, "Beck for short. I haven't activated him yet. He's a mechanical Program…he'll help repair the company computer mainframe when it gets damaged,"

"I'm sure it's nice…but are you sure that they'll take it?"

"_Him_, Mama," Raf corrected, "Beck's a _him_,"

"Him then," Mrs. Esquivel sighed, humoring her son.

"And yes, I'm sure," Raf nodded, "Beck'll be the best program they'll ever see!"

Mrs. Esquivel gave a smile, but she hid her nervousness quite well. He was really starting to show the Flynn side of him.

* * *

Raf sat with his back against a tree, typing furiously on the laptop he'd gotten for Christmas. He was _so_close with finishing his program…he was almost perfect! He just needed a few more tweaks in the code…

_$login –RAF_E89_

_Request: Activate BECK-RF-307091_

_Request:_

Raf held his breath.

"C'mon, Beck, c'mon!" he whispered.

* * *

Beck gave a yell as he charged Tron, his fists colliding with Tron's wrists. Tron's right arm snaked away from Beck's block and he hit the younger Program hard in the gut, causing Beck to wheeze in pain as he staggered back.

Tron sent a crushing roundhouse kick to his apprentice and Beck went down.

The older Monitor came up to his apprentice and placed his knee on Beck's chest. He heard a dull roar in his ears, no…chanting.

_"Derezz! Derezz!"_

A low purring sounded through the air as he reached for his Disks…they were shouting _his_ name! Not CLU's, _his_.

"TRON!" a voice yelled, but he ignored it.

He focused on the strangely blank face of his opponent…the younger Program had fought well, but he was _much_ better…

A hand gripped his shoulder and he whirled around, a low, threatening snarl ripping from his throat…

The orange-tinted light around Tron's irises died as he abruptly shut his mouth, looking in horror and shame at Flynn, who had not let go of the older Monitor's shoulder.

"I think it's time for a break," Flynn said tersely.

Tron gave a nod and got off Beck's chest, holding his hand out for his apprentice to take it…

But Beck didn't move. He still wore the strangely blank look on his face.

"Beck?" Tron asked warily.

"Shh!" the younger Program hissed, "Did you hear it?"

"Hear what, kiddo?" Flynn asked, kneeling on the ground.

"You mean you didn't call me?" Beck asked, blinking.

"…No…" Flynn said slowly, "Beck…"

Beck held up a hand, his eyes brightening.

"There it is again!" he breathed, "What…?"

"What's it saying?" Tron asked, urgency clear in his voice.

"My name," Beck whispered, swallowing, "It's saying my name…"

He suddenly sat up ramrod straight.

"I need to go," he said, getting to his feet, "Now,"

"Where are you going?" Flynn asked, getting to his own two feet.

"I…I dunno," Beck admitted, "I just…have a feeling that I should be in this certain area. I'll know when I get there,"

"Take your lightcycle," Tron ordered, "Flynn and I will be right behind you,"

Beck looked skeptically at his mentor and Tron glared at him.

"I will be _just_ fine, Beck," he growled, "Go _before_ I lose my temper,"

"And knowing how Alan's is, and what is supposedly your temper…we all know how that's going to end," Flynn quipped.

* * *

The three raced along the Outlands quickly and quietly, Beck in the lead while Tron and Flynn flanked him. Tron frowned as he realized where they were going.

"Beck…why are you heading towards Arjia?" he asked.

"I'm just following my instincts!" Beck replied shortly as he shot forwards.

Flynn looked confusedly at the young Program…and then understanding crossed his features.

"He's being called, Tron," he murmured.

"Called…" Tron started.

"Remember back on the old system where you said you heard Alan calling you?"

Tron blinked in disbelief.

"Beck's User is calling him," he said, "But, Flynn…CLU destroyed the I/O Towers,"

"Not. All of them," Flynn replied slyly, "CLU destroyed Arjia because it was an ISO city, the only thing that survived…"

"Arjia had an I/O tower?"

"Where do you think I did most of my communications from?" Flynn chuckled, "The Arjia I/O was the only thing that survived the destruction of the city,"

"But you said Beck was a Flynn Program,"

"Ah, you heard that," Flynn hummed, "No, he's not mine…I think he's Sam's,"

"But he doesn't look like Sam," Tron protested as they turned the last corner before Arjia, "He…oh Users, Flynn!"

The crystal towers of Arjia were completely destroyed and even after all these cycles, the ruins still smoked. Dull, sickly yellow, viral code clung to some of the crystal and Tron shook angrily at the sight as they all derezzed their vehicles. Flynn put a hand on Tron's shoulder.

"Abraxas," Tron hissed out, eyes turning orange for a brief moment before reverting to blue.

"Jalen," Flynn corrected, "CLU did much the same thing he did to you to Jalen…turning him into a virus,"

Tron closed his eyes, the muscles in his jaw working as he fought down the growl that threatened to resurface.

Jalen had been a good friend to him and had also built Arjia with many ISOs and Basics. And now he was gone.

"Anon put him out of his misery," Flynn finished, "Well, he knocked some sense into him and then he destroyed the _Regulator_,"

"Good for Jalen," Tron hummed, "But how did these happen?"

He gestured at the sickly yellow patches.

"Anon…might have gotten into a fight here," Flynn said uncomfortably, "And then CLU dropped the city on him,"

"He did _what_!?"

"He blew up the city with Anon still inside," Flynn said, "But I pulled him out when the smoke cleared. He's a _very_ tough Program,"

"And he died from that?"

"No…he saved Quorra, the last ISO. He was crushed by a Recognizer…but he saved her," Flynn closed his eyes, sighing, "One of the best Programs I ever wrote,"

He looked up again.

"But enough of that, we need to follow Beck. He should be up there somewhere…"

They did find the young Program. Beck stood in the middle of the I/O tower, looking up curiously at the slightly pulsating beam of white light that streamed down in front of him.

"What do I do?" he asked, looking at Tron.

"Take off your Disk," Tron instructed, "And stand in the light,"

Beck did as he was told, shielding his face with one of his free hands as the light blinded him.

"Raise your Disk," Tron continued, "Hold it with both hands, flat side up,"

He did so.

"Now let go,"

Beck shot an unsure glance at his mentor and Tron nodded again. Beck gave a sigh and cautiously let the Disk go…

It hovered in the air and Beck watched in amazement as the black and white ring started floating upwards before disappearing into the beam, turning the light from white to brilliant blue.

Beck suddenly froze, hands upraised, his eyes burning straight white while his circuits became blindingly bright.

"It has begun," Tron said with a smile, watching his apprentice's first communion with his User.

"The first in a long, long time," Flynn grinned, "And he's my son's. Beck…tell him…"

"He can't hear you," Tron said, "All he hears is his User,"

A gentle, peaceful smile lit up the younger Program's face and the Disk came back into his hands, his eyes gaining color once again, becoming more of a burning ice blue than their normal dark blue.

And he fell to his knees, Disk clattering to the ground.

"Beck," Tron started, laying a hand on his apprentice's shoulder, "Are you alright,"

"I'm better than alright," Beck sighed happily, "That…was the most amazing thing that I have _ever_ done!"

Tron gave a soft smile.

"It is quite the experience, isn't it?"

Beck nodded before looking at the beam.

"Why don't you try it?" he asked.

Tron shook his head.

"Alan-One would not want to speak with me," he replied, "Not after what I've done,"

"You don't know that," Flynn countered, "Trust me, I know Alan. He'd forgive you,"

Tron looked plaintively at the beam and then at Flynn and then back again.

"Go on," Flynn urged.

Tron unsheathed his Disks before stepping into the light…raising his Disks just like he had when he was on the old system, like he had before all this craziness had happened…

He let out a piercing yell and leaped backwards, tears streaming as he dropped his Disks like they were red hot.

* * *

Alan sat at his desk, frowning. Something had tried to get into his computer…and he didn't like what was coming up.

_Attention: RINZLER-JA 307020 requests communication to user Alan-One_

A pain of sadness shot through the older programmer. So close to the Program he wrote…but it wasn't his Tron. Tron had been wiped from ENCOM's server for a newer firewall after Flynn asked for a copy of him. A few years after that, when Flynn disappeared, Tron was nowhere to be found.

Alan didn't know who this Rinzler program belonged to. But it wasn't him and that was for sure. He didn't want anything possibly viral getting into his computer…

* * *

"Tron, what happened?" Flynn asked as Tron's circuits pulsed weakly between red and blue.

"I-I can't," he stammered, "I'm not…me…I'm still _it_! He doesn't recognize me…I…he _blocked_ me…"

"Tron…" Beck started, trying to get up to his feet and failing, "I'm so sorry,"

Tron's heartbroken silence seemed worse than the growling purr that came with Rinzler. Flynn gently put an arm around his old friend and Tron stiffened, not wanting to be touched but feeling too abandoned to refuse it.

"Let's get back to the safehouse," Flynn suggested, "We'll talk more there,"

"I agree," Beck said, tiredly as he stood…only to sway uneasily on his feet, "I…"

He crashed hard to the floor. Flynn ran over to him and looked him over carefully.

"Is he alright?" Tron asked quietly.

"He's fine," Flynn said, "He's just getting updated by Sam and he's rebooting. I'll take him, you follow me ok?"

Tron nodded as Flynn carefully picked up the smaller Program and walked towards the exit.

* * *

Raf smiled as he _finally_ got his Program up and running…after a quick reboot. He closed his laptop and got up to his feet…

When someone grabbed his backpack and lifted him high.

"Agh! Let go of me!" he squealed, thrashing in the grip of his attacker.

He finally got a view of his face…

"VINCE!" Raf demanded, "PUT ME DOWN!"

"Lemme think on that…" Vince hummed, tapping his cheek, "Nope!"

Raf growled darkly and tried twisting around to kick Vince where it hurt…but he wasn't that successful.

"Well, what's this?" Vince asked, looking at Raf's laptop and snatching it from the nine year old's grip.

"NO!" Raf screeched, "GIVE IT BACK!"

"I just want to look at it," Vince snickered, nodding at one of his cronies to come over.

The second bully took Raf from Vince's hands as Vince opened the laptop and revealed all of Raf's hard work.

"What is _this_ garbage?" Vince demanded, "A bunch of ones and zeros?"

"What's the matter, Vince?" Raf retorted, "Can't read binary?"

"Shut up pipsqueak!"

"It's a code for a _Program_," Raf said slowly, "Nothing useful to you, give me my computer!"

"Obviously this thing is important to you though," Vince smirked, "Wonder what would happen if I deleted it?"

"NO!" Raf shrieked, "It took me _months_ to get that right! Please don't delete him! Not Beck!"

"You make it sound like he's a person," Vince snorted, "It's _just_ a computer program,"

His finger wavered over the delete key.

* * *

Meanwhile, Beck lay on his bed, shaking badly as Tron watched helplessly. He saw the younger Program's circuits flicker and turn red every so often. Tron had seen it many times before…right before a Program was deleted.

"FLYNN!" Tron yelled, "GET IN HERE!"

The User came as fast as he could, taking in the scene.

"Disk, _now_!" Flynn ordered.

Tron flipped his apprentice over, detached Beck's Disk and tossed it to Flynn. Beck's head shook as Flynn worked on him.

"No…Raf…help…please!" Beck stuttered, pleading, "Don't…don't Derezz!"

Flynn nearly dropped the Disk.

"Did he just say what I thought he said?" he asked, "_Raf_? As in my nine year old _grandson _Raf?"

"Beck's not Sam's Program," Tron confirmed, "He's Raf's Program,"

Beck gave a pitiful moan as his back arched off the bed.

"Raf wouldn't Derezz Beck…would he?" Tron asked, "Not after he just communicated with him?"

"No…" Flynn frowned, "We Flynns don't delete Programs, _especially_ now. Something's going on out there,"

* * *

Raf pleaded and begged Vince not to delete Beck, but the bully wasn't listening. Raf bowed his head as the bully's fingertip brushed the key…

"Put it down, Vince," a new voice ordered.

Raf's head snapped up just to face a tall, slender, dark-haired teenager with flashing royal blue eyes.

"What did you say, Darby?" Vince sneered.

"I said, 'put it down'," the newcomer, Darby, growled, "Didn't pin you as one with old-lady hearing, Vince,"

"Watch it Darby…" Vince snarled.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Darby asked, "Much more satisfying to torment a kid bigger than you are and easily cow them than torturing a little kid,"

He paused for effect, and then a slow, evil smirk passed over the raven-haired teen's face.

"Unless you're a _coward_?"

Vince froze.

"What did you call me?"

"Again, with the hard hearing," the boy sighed, "You heard me Vince, you're a _coward_,"

"Don't call me that!"

"Oh, would you rather me call you a chicken? A yellow, lily-livered, craven, gutless, spineless scaredy-cat?" Darby teased, drawing Vince's attention.

The bully dropped the computer and Raf stomped on his captor's toes, racing over to the fallen piece of equipment as the second bully yelped.

Darby, however, continued his taunting, trying to buy Raf some time.

"Or how about…"

He didn't get to finish as Vince punched him hard in the cheek, sending the taller teenager sprawling.

Darby got up on his elbows and tried to crawl to his knees but Vince kicked him in the side, hard. Darby groaned as Vince repeatedly kicked him. The ginger repeatedly cursed and maimed Darby as the minute wore on. Raf didn't dare move, he clutched his computer to his chest as Vince finally stopped.

"How's _that_ for coward…huh Darby?" Vince snarled and he walked off, leaving the other teen struggling to his feet.

"Yeah," Darby muttered, "Kick a man while he's down, huh?"

"Do you want a death wish?" Raf asked as soon as the bullies moved off.

"He's a jerk and a bully and I like neither of those," Darby replied getting to his feet and brushing himself off and looking at his torn and bloody clothes, "Aw man…Mom's going to kill me. That was a new pair of jeans,"

"Look…you were…really brave," Raf started, coming up to the boy, "Thanks,"

"Anytime," Darby replied, sticking out his hand, "I'm Jackson, Jackson Darby, but everyone calls me Jack,"

Raf took his hand and shook it.

"Rafael Esquivel," Raf replied, "But I go by Raf. Mama only calls me Rafael if I'm in trouble,"

"Heh, my mom does that too," Jack smiled, "You need help getting all that home?"

Raf looked at his stuff. It would be nice to have someone to talk to…

"Sure," Raf shrugged, and Jack beamed, his stormy blue gaze lighting up again as he walked over to Raf's stuff and picked it up.

"Well, let's get going then," Jack said.

The two were nearly inseparable from that day on.

**Poor Tron. He's an awesome character...and I think that's what makes him so much fun to torture. Of my goodness I feel so bad for doing that to him. He gets better at least...**

**Maybe next time we'll get into _Gridlock_ territory? Sam and Quorra getting the message about setting a firewall up in Jasper and then seeing Raf and then getting the message that Flynn's alive and having them get back onto the Grid? What do you think?  
**

**Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)**

**Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

**Máriessë ar mára tecië**

**Fair well and fair writing**

**Elhini Prime signing off.**


	6. Contact

**Ok, so I lied just a bit. Sam and Quorra don't get to the Grid in this one, but we _are_ in _Gridlock_ territory! This is where Sam and Quorra visit the Jasper Base and also where Raf gets contacted by a certain Program.  
**

Chapter 6

Contact

_BANG!_

"OW!"

Quorra looked up from her work right as Sam came hopping on one leg into the room, cursing bitterly.

"You ok?" Quorra asked as Sam limped to the side of her desk and sat on the top.

"No," he growled bitterly, "Well, sorta. I'm in pain,"

"I can see that,"

Sam gave a sigh and ran his hand through his hair.

"I was in Dad's old office…and I found this," he said, getting back up and hobbling out of the room before coming back in and dragging a large box behind him, "I was carrying it up the stairs and I dropped it on my toe a few feet into the hall,"

"Why didn't you just bring it up the elevator?" Quorra asked.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Sam snorted, "Anyway! I looked through some of Dad's old stuff…when this came up,"

He pulled out an old video recording and put the disk in Quorra's computer.

The screen jumped a few times, but soon, Flynn's face appeared in the screen.

_"Kevin Flynn, ah…Grid Development diary entry number…"_ it cut out from static and then realigned again, _"In there…behind the screen…things are getting _intense_! The system's _evolving_! It's _way_ past games now!"_

Quorra and Sam watched in silence as the video played.

_"…get along and some…_don't_! Even my System Administrator, CLU, seems different around them…"_

Sam stopped the recording.

"This was before the day he didn't come home, before the Coup," he said, "He _knew_ something was up with CLU,"

"That was the day he created Anon," Quorra added, looking at the date.

Sam raised a brow.

"Anon was a System Monitor who trained under Tron…he was the one who saved me, who led your father to me," Quorra explained, "He died not long after he saved me…he was crushed by a falling Recognizer,"

She closed her eyes.

"He was a good friend of mine,"

"He saved you, that's all that matters," Sam replied.

"If he would have derezzed CLU it would have been even better," Quorra said bitterly, "Flynn would still be alive, we'd still have our son…"

"True," Sam agreed, "Very true,"

"Do you wonder if he's alright?" Quorra asked, "If he's ok? What he looks like? Sam, it's been _twelve_ years!"

"I know," Sam sighed, "And yeah, I do wonder,"

There was a knock on the door and Alan came in.

"Sam…that agent called again," he said.

"Right, right," Sam answered, "We're supposed to set up that firewall in…Jasper?"

"The Jasper Shelter," Alan corrected, "Remember, Jasper was pretty much destroyed,"

"By that meteor shower," Quorra finished, "When do we have to be there?"

"Have to be in the air in about fifteen minutes if you want to make it there on time," Alan told them.

Sam groaned as he got up, offering his hand to his wife as he did.

"Let's get going…you've got everything packed…right?"

"Right," she answered, nodding.

"Then let's get this done and over with,"

* * *

"I'll be right over here," Quorra said, looking at Sam as he sat on the Ducati, "_How_ you managed to convince me to let you bring that bike I'll never know,"

"It's _Dad's_," Sam replied, "Don't worry, I'll be good while you get something to eat,"

Quorra pointed at her eyes and then at Sam before walking towards the store.

Sam chuckled under his breath as he turned his head back towards the makeshift school. He wondered if _this_ could be the place that Raf had been sent to? He'd be thirteen, but what would he look like? Would he take after Sam? Or would he look more like Quorra?

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there until the bell rang and the students started pouring out.

A small, brunette shape shot out of the school and Sam nearly did a double take.

It couldn't be! Could it?

The child, no older than twelve looked up as a tall, black haired young man and a Japanese girl with pink streaked hair came out after him. Sam's heart leaped in his throat as he saw the boy's face.

It was _Quorra's_.

True, the eye color had changed from bright ice blue to warm brown, but still!

He heard Quorra gasp and drop whatever she was holding to the ground with a crash.

"Raf…" she breathed.

He watched as the young boy started talking excitedly to his companions and painful warmth filled him.

A soft, gentle hand lay on his shoulder.

He turned to face the cool, ice blue gaze of his wife.

"You know you're not supposed to be here," she whispered.

"He's grown so much though," the man protested as the boy jumped into a black and yellow Urbana 500 and headed towards the military hangers, "Can't I just…go say hello?"

"Sam," Quorra chastised, "We made a promise,"

"You know they were meant to be broken…" Sam replied innocently.

His wife smacked his shoulder.

"Saaaammm,"

"C'mon, he's just a kid!" Sam whined, "It's been twelve, thirteen years since I last saw him! I was lucky I could track him down!"

"We're going to be late for the meeting," Quorra sighed, "You told that agent you'd be there to help set up a heavy duty firewall courtesy of ENCOM,"

"You're no fun," Sam grumbled, easing the Ducati onto the road.

* * *

Sam took a look at the computers and shook his head.

They were an _old_ generation.

"And I thought Dad had bad tech," he chuckled to himself.

"Your father, remember, built the Grid," Quorra said, looking over Sam's shoulder, "Using the same technology that we have in front of us,"

Sam bowed his head.

"I kinda miss the ol' man," he murmured.

Quorra rubbed Sam's back.

"I know you do," she whispered, "I miss him too,"

"Ah…Ah-choo!"

Sam and Quorra turned around just to see their son. Their long lost _son_!

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, "I didn't mean to intrude,"

"No, you're fine," Sam smiled, "Come here,"

The boy came uncertainly forwards and Sam kneeled in front of him.

"I'm Sam, what's your name?" he asked, he already knew…but it was better to keep the boy in the dark.

"Rafael," the boy answered, "Rafael Esquivel, but my friends call me Raf,"

At least the Esquivels kept their end of the arrangement.

"Well, Raf," Sam started, "You like computers?"

Raf nodded.

"Think you can…help me here?"

"What can I do?" Raf shrugged, "I'm not as good as you,"

_"You're a Flynn, of course you're good,"_ Sam thought to himself.

"Don't sell yourself short," Sam said, picking the boy up and setting him on his lap, "Now…see that bit of code here? We need to fix it…"

A few hours later, the system had been set up. Although, in Sam's opinion, the time went by too quickly.

He and Quorra walked out of the hanger and out to the waiting Ducati.

"I wish we could take him home with us," Sam muttered as he mounted.

"He lives with the Esquivels," his wife murmured sadly, settling down behind him.

"He might," Sam shrugged, "But even though he might have the last name of Esquivel, Quorra…"

He put his helmet on and started the bike, his wife wrapped her arms around him and they looked back at their boy. Their _teenage_ son!

"He's still a Flynn," Sam finished.

* * *

"EVERYONE!" Sam yelled as soon as he came into ENCOM the next day, "YOU HAVE THE DAY OFF!"

The employees stared dumbfounded at their boss as he smiled the brightest he had in a long time.

"Sam, what's going on?" Alan asked.

Sam grabbed his godfather's shoulders.

"I _found_ him! My son is _alive_!" Sam shouted happily, "He's _alive_!"

"Where?" Alan demanded.

"That shelter…he was _there_!" Quorra beamed as she too came in, "Alan…he's gotten big!"

"Well, he's kinda small for a thirteen year old but he'll grow out of it," Sam dismissed, "He's, oh Al!"

Sam let go of a very shocked Alan's shoulders and embraced Quorra, whirling her around happily.

"We can…" he stopped, frowning.

"What?" Alan asked.

"We can't bring him home," Sam said, "The letter…"

"Maybe he's forgotten?" Quorra suggested, "Maybe he thinks he's dead?"

"No…Dad always said he was 'dogged and relentless' and he won't stop until he knows for _sure_,"

"Who?" Alan asked, feeling out of the loop.

"I can't…" Sam sighed, "He's…it's too hard to explain,"

"I'm going to find out one of these days," Alan warned, "Trust me Sam,"

"I know, Al, I wouldn't put it past you,"

* * *

"Another message?" Tron asked as he walked up behind Flynn.

"Yeah…Sam found Raf. _Still_ won't say what the kid's last name is now," Flynn said, "But with CLU still out there…they can't bring him home,"

"I know," Tron nodded, "Beck almost got himself killed the other day because one of CLU's guards ambushed him,"

"Argon's gotten worse?"

"By a lot. Beck's kept his appearances down to an all-time low because CLU has all his guards swarming the city since he came back,"

"He doesn't have his greatest weapon anymore though," Flynn supplied.

Tron gave a weak, pained smile.

"No…but you _know_ I don't like being here where I can hurt you," he said, "Flynn, I don't know who I'm going to be when I wake up anymore. I don't know whether I'm me or…it…"

He clenched his fists, his circuits flicking orange for an instant before fading back to blue.

"I can't do this to you,"

"Hence why I take your Disks every night and code your door so you can't get out unless I'm up,"

The Monitor went silent and Flynn laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I know you've done a lot," he said and Tron's steel blue gaze flicked towards him, "I need you to do this for me,"

"And that is?"

"I need you to contact Raf," Flynn said, "Tell him about us, why his parents aren't taking him home. But…don't tell him he's talking to you. I don't think he'd take lightly to that,"

"Flynn, you _saw_ what the I/O Tower did to me,"

"You're not contacting Alan,"

"…True…"

"And I'm giving you something to mask your ID so it won't burn you again,"

"This had better work, Flynn,"

"It will, I promise,"

* * *

Tron looked up at the I/O beam and unsheathed his Disks, setting the Black Guard's Disk down on the ground while taking his original Disk and raising it above his head, releasing it into the pure white stream.

"Request access to Rafael Kevin Tron Flynn," Tron ordered and the beam burned brilliant blue.

A soft, clear voice started speaking and Tron turned his head up into the beam.

"Identify!" he ordered.

The voice became hesitant and Tron repeated his order.

"Identify!"

More confusion and Tron tiredly reaffirmed.

"Identify!"

**"Hello?" **a boy's voice asked.

Beck's User. Rafael Flynn. But just to make sure…

"Identify yourself!" Tron said.

**"Rafael Esquivel…but I'm called Raf by my friends,"**

No…no that wasn't right!

"Invalid answer," Tron started.

The reply was almost immediate.

**"That's my name. Who are you?"**

"Program," Tron replied, he didn't know what Beck had told Raf but he didn't want to overload the boy's mind.

**"Program?"**

"Yes,"

**"Function?"**

Ah, right down to the specifics then. 'Fight for the Users' was on the tip of Tron's lips but the _other_ one shut it down. That was _not_ his function…no….it _was…_

"Obsolete," he finally said, getting both halves of his personality to agree on that, "Previous function obsolete,"

**"Obsolete how? What was your previous function?"**

"Protection," he answered before grunting in pain as Rinzler's code protested, "Maintaining of the Grid,"

There, _happy_?

The pain stopped at least.

**"What is the Grid?"**

Tron nearly fell over. They hadn't told him about the Grid? Where his mother was from?

"My home," Tron answered.

The connection faltered and Tron's Disk came back to him. Raf had terminated the connection but Tron closed his eyes, content for the moment. He remembered the good days when he was able to communicate with his User, but they were gone. Long, long gone.

He sighed. Flynn wanted him to tell Raf pretty much everything. So he pulled up his Disk again and released it back into the beam. Raf answered right as Tron felt as if his head was splitting in two. He held his head, whining in pain until the circuits settled on a single color and amber eyes looked up into the beam.

"User," Rinzler started.

**"Yes?" **Raf asked, the annoyed feeling bleeding through the communication.

The lights spasmed and Tron fought free again.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

**"Fixing my computer,"**

Tron raised a brow.

"Why?"

**"Because I think it's broke,"**

"Why?"

**"Because I'm talking to a computer program supposedly,"**

Tron gave a laugh.

"You are," he said simply.

**"Don't you have a name I can call you besides Program?"**

"Yes,"

**"Well what is it?"**

Tron paused. He wasn't just him anymore. Tron and Rinzler. He was _both_ as much as he hated it.

"Cannot identify," he finally said.

**"Why?"**

Users and their incessant questions! And he thought _Flynn_ was bad!

"Protocol," he finally said, remembering that Flynn told him not to say his name, "My friend says not to,"

**"Who's this friend?"**

He was about to answer when he heard voices outside.

"It's coming from in here!" a voice called.

Tron cut the connection, grabbing his Disk as it came ever so slowly back into his hands. He scooped up its twin and down came his mask, the blue lights throbbing in the dim white glow…right as two Black Guards came in. Tron growled darkly as they came closer and the two Guards froze.

"Rinzler," one breathed as Tron's Disks blazed brightly and he started forwards.

"I. Am. _Tron_," he growled, charging towards them.

They didn't even get their Disks up in time before they were glittering ruby cubes on the floor.

_"Have to get back to Flynn. Can't be caught. Might not get free this time,"_ Tron thought as he burst out of the I/O Tower, rezzing his lightcycle but stopping not far out of the city limits.

"I should have known you survived," CLU said, derezzing his helmet, "You're a tough Program to kill, Tron,"

A low, dark hiss ripped from the Monitor's throat as he backed away warily.

"C'mon, man, remember the fun times we had?" CLU asked, "You and me? Well, Rinzler and me anyway,"

"Stay. Away. From me," Tron snarled, "You'll never _touch_ me again! I will derezz you with my bare hands!"

"I seem to recall you said something similar to that," CLU snorted, "Guess you didn't mean it,"

_"He's goading you,"_ Tron thought, trying to calm himself as that blasted purr started up, _"No! Don't let him out! You'll go back to CLU and he'll never let you go again!"_

The purr stopped and Tron shook his head. It was time to go. Time to get out of there.

He swung the lightcycle around and shot off, not letting anyone catch up to him and he went towards the place he knew CLU wouldn't find him or Flynn.

Argon.

**Ok so _next _time, we'll have Sam and Quorra get to the Grid. Maybe soon we'll have another "throwback" chapter after that one? Ya never know with me...  
**

**Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)**

**Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

**Máriessë ar mára tecië**

**Fair well and fair writing**

**Elhini Prime signing off.**


	7. The Next Rinzler

**Ok, so now we've got the bit where Sam and Quorra enter the Grid and get trapped. We _also_ get to see the whole User Corruption scene, where Sam becomes Defcon, CLU's newest Enforcer.  
**

Chapter 8

The Next Rinzler

All Beck wanted to do that day was get some rest. First it was a busy day at the garage, then it was the appearance of the 'Renegade', then an ambush and then a high-speed chase through the streets of Argon on a light cycle while being chased by a squadron of Guards on _their_ lightcycles, two tanks, oh and a Recognizer. Can't forget the Recognizer.

He lost them when he went into a narrow alley and shot into the Outlands towards the hideout. Who knew that a handful of smoke and shock grenades caused _that_ much damage?

It didn't matter. All Beck knew was that he was _tired_ and didn't want to move.

So when he came into his room and was ambushed by a figure dressed in black he reacted like anyone with his training would.

Explosively.

Out came the Disk and Beck lunged, dodging his assailant's arm as it tried to wrap around his neck.

"Easy, Beck!" a familiar voice ordered as the figure came to a stop, "It's me,"

Beck's Disk froze inches from the other Program's neck. The ebon helmet collapsed, revealing the scarred face of his mentor.

"Tron," Beck groaned, "Don't _do_ that!"

He looked around his dorm and then back at his mentor.

"How'd you get in here anyway?" he asked.

"You spend all your time with Flynn you pick up a few things," Tron replied dryly.

"Ok…_what_ are you doing here?"

"I got chased by CLU's guards," the Monitor explained, looking out the window and ducking down as a Recognizer flew by, "Came here because of the hideout…but I couldn't make it there because someone drew a bunch of CLU's forces there,"

"Yeah…that'd be my fault," Beck apologized, "I got ambushed,"

"The usual?"

Beck gave a harsh laugh.

"I guess you could say that,"

He looked at his mentor.

"You have any place to stay?" he asked.

"I'll be going to the hideout," Tron told him, "I'll only be here until it calms down out there,"

"It'll be cycles before it gets even _remotely_ calm," Beck deadpanned, "You can stay here,"

The old Monitor looked at his apprentice warily and Beck saw the problem.

"You give me the Disks and I'll be fine," he reassured him, "I'll tell Zed I couldn't get in my room, that it was locked and I lost my key. The master was destroyed when CLU first came here so I'm pretty sure no one will bother you,"

The relieved look in the old Program's eyes made Beck's core warm slightly and Tron undocked his Disks, handing them off to Beck. Beck's hand closed over the twin pieces of metal and he tried to take them…only for Tron not to let go!

"You can trust me," Beck told him, "Remember?"

Reluctantly, the barely lit hand relinquished its hold on the Disks and Beck started out the door.

"Goodnight, Tron," he said, putting his hand on the door.

"Goodnight, Beck,"

* * *

Beck came into his room after he had gotten some rest…only to see most of it torn apart, the code gleaming through the once smooth walls.

"Rough night?" he asked, making the resting Monitor on the floor jump to his feet, set in a ready position.

Tron looked around the room, taking in the damage.

"Hmm, I suppose so," he answered, his hands curling slightly, "I apologize for the damage…but I can't speak for him,"

"It's fine. Maybe next time we could cuff him?"

"I doubt that would work,"

"So…nightmares again?" came Beck's next question as he handed Tron his Disks back.

"You could say that,"

He'd never get the images out of his head. The virus stalking through the streets, Anon's scream of denial as CLU's Disk rammed into his midsection, ISOs screaming as he pursued them, Beck running with his hand clenched to his side, Yori screaming, the Son of Flynn fighting for his life, ramming into CLU's lightjet, falling…

He shook his head, there was no point reliving the past.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" Tron asked, looking up at his apprentice.

"Mara closed it," Beck shrugged, "Pavel did a number on it earlier…"

"Wonder why," Tron growled dryly.

The younger Program looked up innocently.

"Hey, its not my fault he's got the temperment of a angry gridbug…or the processing power of one," he smirked, "Or that he can't ride a lightcycle to save his life…"

The barest glimpse of a smile tugged at the older Monitor's lips before he turned towards the window.

"So what now?" Beck asked, "We go back to Flynn?"

"Perhaps," Tron said, "Something is going to happen…the Grid's restless. She knows something we don't,"

"You felt it too?" Beck asked, " I thought I was imagining it,"

"And that proves you were meant to be a System Monitor," Tron said, "Only one of us could feel that. Anon was just as good as you are,"

"And…Him?"

Tron gripped the windowsil, his circuits flicking orange for a nano.

"He never could. He claimed he did, but he couldn't feel the tremors made from one of CLU's announcements from Tron City, couldn't feel the snow sliding off the mountains outside of Argon, the crawling of Gridbugs in the ruins of the ISO Towers, the shuddering of the deaths of thousands of ISOs and Basics during the Wars. He was deaf and blind and dumb when it came to sensing," he said, "He couldn't _feel_ like you, me, Anon, Reeve, Hayner, Nike...Users, even _Dyson_ felt Her. Cyrus only destroyed. And that should have alerted me,"

"You couldn't have known," Beck told him, "_I_ didn't know when I first met the psycho,"

"You've been hanging around Flynn too much,"

"I'm a Flynn Program, what do you expect?" Beck retorted, then he shivered, "I _still_ can't get over that,"

"You do somewhat resemble the Flynns,"

"Speaking of…maybe we should get back to the _Original_ Flynn?"

Tron gave a nod and reactivated his helmet.

"Let's go then," he said, his voice distorted from the black glass.

* * *

Sam had fallen asleep at the desk again, Quorra noticed. She came up and gently rubbed his shoulders, making the blond User start, hand reaching behind his shoulder blades.

He froze as his hand connected with her and he turned around.

"Sorry," he admitted, "Habit,"

She gave a soft laugh.

"Sam, even _I_ stopped doing that ages ago,"

"It was last week,"

Quorra closed an eye and gently whacked him on the head.

"I'm just saying, it's ironic that the one who was made with the Disk quit reaching for it before the User did,"

"Yeah but remember, you didn't have the Disk when you came through…I did. _Two_ to be exact,"

"Anything to justify yourself, huh?"

"Very funny, Quorra,"

Quorra looked at the computer, whose keyboard had made an impression on Sam's face. She took a look at the screen and studied it carefully.

"That looks familiar," she started.

"Should, that's a section of that one City you told me about…Argon…well, the code is anyway,"

"Have you found anything?" she asked.

"A lot of corruption but I'm working on it," he said, "I'm in the process of writing a Program…a Monitor,"

"Just like your father did," Quorra smiled, "When will he be rezzed in?"

"Hmm, not sure, it's a lot harder than Dad made it out to be,"

The computer chimed, alerting Sam to an email that was just sent.

He opened it up and…

He nearly fell out of his chair.

_Sam, I don't have much time. I'm alive. Stuck in Grid again. Need help. Same team, remember?_

The blond User didn't need the signature.

"Dad's alive," he breathed, getting up and marching over to the Ducati.

"Sam…what if it's a trap?" Quorra asked, following him, "CLU lured you to the Grid once, why not again? We know _he's_ alive…"

"Yeah, well, if that glitch is alive then Dad has to be too," Sam replied, snapping the visor down on his helmet, "I'm not losing him again,"

He opened the door and walked the bike out, sitting down and turning to Quorra.

"You coming or not?"

Quorra sighed, but she shrugged on her jacket and came over to Sam, getting on behind him.

* * *

"Remind me why we're in the city again?" Beck asked as Tron watched the streets closely.

"You saw and felt the increased activity just as I did," came the reply, "Something isn't right,"

"And you just _can't_ let it go, can you?"

"CLU's got to have a reason for why he's increasing the activity…"

"I'm going to take that as a 'no',"

"And I'm going to find out," Tron finished.

"Why do I even ask?" Beck muttered to himself.

Suddenly the System shivered and Beck threw out a hand to steady himself.

"Did you feel that?" he demanded as it stopped.

"I know that feeling…" Tron started, looking upwards as the clouds roiled…

And a beam of light shot out of the clouds, slamming into one building and filling the whole Grid with light.

"Users," Tron said, getting to his feet, "There are more Users on the Grid,"

"And CLU knows it," Beck added, pointing at the mass of black and orange troops coming towards the light.

"Let's move," Tron ordered.

* * *

"You know, the _last_ time I was here I didn't look like a lava lamp," Sam grumbled as he and Quorra came out of the Arcade facsimile in full Grid armor.

"Remember, you got put into the Games as soon as you set foot on the ground," Quorra retorted.

"At least I know Rinzler's not going to be a problem," Sam smirked.

"True," Quorra smiled and then it faded.

"Quorra?" Sam asked, "What's wrong?"

"You might not have to worry about Rinzler…but _them_ you might have to worry about,"

Sam's head snapped up just to see a host of Black Guards coming towards them. He cursed and started herding Quorra backwards.

"I should have known CLU would have been waiting for us…" he started, "RUN!"

The husband and wife ran through the streets, Quorra unsheathed her Disk, hurling it behind her. The blue Disk arched through the air, slicing through a guard and then swerving midair, returning back to her waiting hand.

"Nice!" Sam yelled, taking his own Disk and throwing it.

Sam yelled as his Disk arced back to him, screaming through the nearest Black Guard. He turned to Quorra.

"I'll hold them off, you run. Find Dad, I'll catch up with you,"

"I'm not leaving you!"

"You have no choice!" Sam snapped, pushing her backwards, "You run. You're the one they really want. Not me,"

"What are you going to do?" Quorra whispered, catching her Disk as it returned to her hand.

"I'm a User…I'll improvise," he answered, shoving her in an alley and touching the ground, making a wall of white light come up where the alleyway opened to where he was.

Quorra pressed against the wall, her face a twisted mask of anger and fear as she pounded on the lightwall.

Sam touched a hand to his lips and then placed it on the wall while Quorra started crying, screaming his name as Sam ran towards the Guards.

He might have been running to his death…but it didn't matter.

What mattered was that Quorra, the last of his Dad's Miracle other than Raf, was safe.

Sam on the other hand…not so much.

Suddenly, a jet black shape leaped from a building, landing on the ground in front of Sam in a graceful crouch.

The figure straightened and took out its Disk…no…

_Disks_.

"Rinzler," Sam hissed, backing into a defensive stance as Rinzler finished off the remaining Black Guards that Sam and Quorra missed.

Maybe just so the Program could finish him off by his own Disks.

Rinzler turned back to Sam. The mirrored helmet retracted, revealing steel blue eyes in a scarred, younger version of Alan's face.

"Son of Flynn, go!" Rinzler ordered, throwing a look down the alleyway.

Sam didn't run. Instead, he brought his Disk down, trying to derezz the Program that had nearly killed him once before. Rinzler swept around and grabbed Sam's arm, disarming him in one smooth move.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Son of Flynn," the Program growled, his blue circuits blazing brightly, "We are on the same team!"

Sam blinked as the Program handing him back his Disk.

"Tron?" Sam asked softly.

Rinzler…_Tron_…gave a wry, Alan-like smirk and nodded.

"Now, are you going to stand there like a newly created ISO or are you going to come with me?" Tron asked, offering his hand.

Sam carefully took the Protector's hand.

"You're…not going to kill me?" Sam asked warily.

"For the love of the Users, child, no," Tron sighed, "I apologize for whatever I did to you when…well, you know what I mean. But right now, we need to go,"

Sam gave a nod and the two started down the alley. Making sure they weren't seen as the Guards swarmed the place.

"I shouldn't have separated myself from Quorra," Sam sighed.

"She can take care of herself, Son of Flynn," Tron told him, "Users, she evaded _Rinzler_ for over a thousand cycles, she can evade the lesser Guard,"

"So that means she can get away from you,"

Tron shook his head in annoyance, looking up to the sky. He had been around Flynn for a long time…

He was starting to think his son was worse.

"Hello…Old friend,"

Tron froze midstep, Disks whipping out as he let out a low, but loud growl. He turned around, his eyes blazing angrily.

"Tron?" Sam asked, turning to look at the newcomer.

A Black Guard.

"Dyson," Tron growled as the Guard derezzed his helmet.

"Come now, Tron, is that a way to greet an old friend?" Dyson smirked.

"Old _friend_?" Tron demanded, "You tortured me and let CLU _repurpose_ me! You are most _certainly_ no friend of mine! None!"

"Ah, that's right!" Dyson hummed, "You don't remember your little stint as Rinzler…do you?"

Tron hissed angrily, circuits flicked orange for a second before returning back to blue, his steely eyes glaring at Dyson. Sam figured that if looks could kill…Dyson would be derezzed many, _many_ times over.

"Oh, I forgot…you don't like being reminded of that, do you?" Dyson sneered, "All those Programs _derezzed_ because of you. Even that female one…what was her name? _Yori_?"

Tron let out a feral snarl and started forwards but Sam caught him.

"Let. _Go._ Son of Flynn," Tron snarled angrily as he tried to get his Disks into Dyson.

"TRON!" a voice yelled.

Sam's head whipped up just to see a white garbed Program touch down next to them.

"Renegade," Dyson started, "A long way from Argon, aren't you?"

_"Argon?"_ Sam mouthed.

"Maybe," the new Program replied, "But I go where I'm needed,"

He turned to Sam.

"I'd let him go…he put a shock grenade on me the last time I tried to stop him,"

Sam looked down at the snarling Monitor and then at Dyson and then at the Renegade. He _knew_ the stories of Tron. His dad had told him everything.

"He'll derezz you…" the Renegade warned, as the twin Disks blazed, starting to rise, "Or he'll seriously hurt you,"

Needless to say, Sam let go.

Tron turned his steel blue gaze towards his apprentice.

"Get the Son of Flynn out of here," he ordered, "_NOW!"_

"Yes sir," the white Program muttered, grabbing Sam's arm.

"I've got unfinished _business_," Tron snarled, his helmet curving gracefully up around his head as he stalked forwards.

Dyson's helmet covered his face as well and the former allies circled each other before charging with terrifying war-cries.

"C'mon," the white Program ordered, dragging Sam towards the exit, "We need to get you outside the city, your father is waiting on you,"

"Wait, you've seen Dad?" Sam demanded, "He's alive?"

"Last time I saw him,"

"Who are you? How do you know Tron?"

The Renegade turned his masked face towards the User before looking around and derezzing his helmet.

Sam's eyes went wide.

"You…you look…"

"Like your son, yeah," the Renegade said with a faint smile, "There's a reason for that…"

"You're his…aren't you?"

He nodded, motioning for Sam to keep moving.

"I know Tron because he trained me," the Argon Renegade said, "One of CLU's goons derezzed my best friend. I retaliated by beheading CLU's statue in Argon…and then blowing it up,"

Sam started laughing. That was something _he_ would have done!

"I got chased by a bunch of General Tesler's, one of CLU's henchprograms, and I wound up in the Outlands. I thought I was alone," the Renegade continued as they went down an alley, "I wasn't. Tron had been watching me the whole time and he took me under his wing, training me because he was too wounded from CLU's Coup against your father. We managed to get him healed…and then a mission went wrong. Tron got captured and Rinzler…"

The Renegade shuddered.

"Let's just say, I know what an ISO felt like during the Purge,"

"He sent Tron to hunt you down,"

"Yeah, he nearly derezzed me too…but since Tron was still in there…I escaped because he recognized me. From what Tron told me…Yori wasn't as lucky,"

"That Program back there…he said that Tron didn't remember anything about being Rinzler,"

"Dyson? Heh, well he's not wrong," the Renegade answered, "Tron doesn't know what he's done…he gets bits and pieces back every time he gets some rest. He doesn't go into sleepmode very often because of that. Don't tell him I said this…but I think he's afraid,"

Sam's hand went to the Disk wound on his right arm.

"I know first-hand what he's done," Sam finally said, "I'd be afraid too,"

The two fell silent as they made their way through the city.

"How much farther?" Sam asked, "This city doesn't seem so big when you're on a Recognizer,"

"Biggest city on the Grid," the Renegade replied, "Don't worry, we're almost there,"

He suddenly froze.

"Get back!" he ordered, pushing Sam back right as a Recognizer flew by.

"How'd you know it was coming?" Sam asked.

"She told me," the Renegade replied, "The Grid,"

Sam raised an eyebrow and the older version of his son bowed his head.

"All System Monitors can sense the Grid and her signals. That's how I knew you were coming. The Grid kinda shivered when you started putting in the code to bring you and the ISO here. She knew that there were Users coming and Tron and I went to investigate,"

Sam noticed the nervous, almost embarrassed way the Program stood.

"You're not used to it are you?" he asked.

"No," the Program admitted, "I'm not, Sensing is new to me,"

"Why?"

"I'm…not actually programmed to be a fighter," the Renegade admitted, "Tron says otherwise because I can Sense. Always have been able to,"

"If you weren't supposed to be a Monitor…what were you?"

"A mechanic," the Renegade replied with a slight grin, "But…being a Flynn Program gives me more liberty, I am two things instead of one. Being an _ISO_ Program on top of that…just means I can learn quicker than most,"

"I bet," Sam muttered, looking out into the street, "I think its safe,"

"And you'd be right," the Renegade nodded, "C'mon,"

The two ran across the street. The almost made it to the other side when the Renegade froze, rezzing his mask.

"Sam Flynn stop!" he yelled but Sam didn't hear him.

He kept running until he ran into a Recognizer's beam.

The ground started dropping away and Sam looked up just to see the Renegade running towards him.

"User! You can stop it!" he yelled.

Sam hit the ground, white power streaming away from him…until a Black Guard clocked him across the back of his head, making the User topple to the ground, unconscious.

"NO!" Beck screamed, unsheathing his Disk and hurling it towards the Black Guards.

The Disk carved a deep gash in the first one's neck, derezzing it instantly. Beck froze, his circuits flickering as he realized what he had just done.

His first kill.

He couldn't dwell on it though. The other Guards were taking Sam, and he _had_ to get to him! That was his User's _father_! He would _not_ allow CLU to get him!

Beck rushed forwards, leaping as the Guards shackled Sam to the Recognizer and started to take off.

His fingertips just barely brushed the Recognizer.

Beck let out a heartbroken roar, falling to his knees.

He hadn't been able to get Sam to safety.

He failed.

* * *

Sam sat in the prison cell with his head between his knees. The only light given off in the room, was the brilliant white lines in his suit.

He was frustrated, mostly with himself.

He and Quorra had gotten a message from the Arcade…from his _dad_.

Of course, they had to check it out.

And so they returned to the Grid…and immediately got captured by a Recognizer. They had separated him from Quorra and then threw him into the cell.

"I'm such an _idiot_," he growled to himself.

Suddenly, the door opened.

_"Hello,_ Sam," a familiar voice said.

Sam's head snapped up in hope…and then his expression devolved into a scowl as he saw the yellow-orange light from a certain Program's suit.

"CLU," Sam spat.

"Oh, c'mon, Sam," CLU tsked, "Is that a way to greet an old friend,"

"Old friend my as…"

"Ah, ah!" CLU cut him off, "Language, User,"

Sam's scowl deepened.

"What do you want,"

It wasn't a question.

"Oh, I've got pretty much what I want," the Program chuckled, "I have _you_. And the ISO. Now…I just need to complete the set,"

"There is no other," Sam replied dryly, "You killed Dad,"

"Oh I wasn't talking about your father, Sam," CLU said, "There's one Flynn out there in _your_ world…that I have my eye on…"

He whipped out his disk and tilted Sam's head up with it.

"A half User, half ISO…a very rare bird might I say…he could be a useful warrior…but unfortunately he shares the same ISO programming that the other has,"

"You touch Raf and I swear I'll derezz you," Sam snarled, trying to get up but his restraints held him back.

"Oh I don't doubt it," CLU said, walking out, "But…I've survived derezzment already."

And he was gone.

Sam gave a loud yell and kicked at the door.

"Raf…wherever you are…please, be safe," the User whispered.

Nanos later, the doors opened and Black Guards swarmed in, hauling the User to his feet.

"Let me go!" he snarled, thrashing, "Freaks!"

He managed to break free, and his Disk whipped out, immediately punching through one Guard and then the other. He started running back towards the entrance…when he was rammed into from behind. He fell to the floor with a grunt and the Guards picked him up.

"You're causing Problems, User," CLU tutted, grabbing the staff of a nearby Sentry and clubbing Sam over the head.

The User fell limp and the Guards dragged him towards the rectifier.

* * *

"It took longer than expected, sir," a Program said, "His coding…very complex as he's a Use…"

"Shut up!" CLU snapped, "He is under my control, I don't want him remembering!"

He came to what used to be Sam Flynn, looking at the limp, barely breathing frame of the User strapped to the Rectifier.

"You are my second in command," CLU told him.

The User raised his head, tired and hurting as the orange circuits in his suit flickered, throwing shadows on the wall.

"I am your second in command," the broken man said, "I serve CLU,"

_"NOOOOOOO!"_ the part of him that was still Sam Flynn howled,_ "I'M SAM FLYNN! I'M A USER! NOT A PROGRAM!"_

"Sam," he panted as the circuits flared white, "I'm Sam, Sam…"

The User/Sam-him's hold slipped and the Program-him latched on.

"I am your se…Flynn!" Sam snapped, "Sam Flynn! Son of Kevin Flynn, Husband of the ISO Quorra Flynn, father of Rafael Flynn!"

"He's strong," CLU noted, "Only Tron lasted this long, but know this, Sam…I know you're in there but hopefully I can remedy that…Even Tron fell and became Rinzler. It's only a matter of time before my new Program is at my side,"

The User's sky blue eyes narrowed as the white circuits in his armor blazed brightly.

"GO DEREZZ ALONE IN THE OUTLANDS!" Sam roared, "WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE CLU YOU ARE A DEREZZED PROGRAM!"

CLU's eyes narrowed and he removed the User's Disk, pulling up his coding.

An orange strand of code flickered dully in the bright white code. CLU pulled it out and toyed with it a second before inserting it again and snapping Sam's Disk back on his person.

Sam felt the virus tearing at him and he screamed.

"The more you fight, User, the more it will hurt," CLU replied smugly, "Just let it go,"

"NO!" Sam screamed as another wall of code turned orange and the white lights flickered wildly, "DAD!"

_He betrayed him._

No, his Dad didn't!

_Why did he fight this? CLU is only trying to help…_

He'd help him over his dead body!

_Better to live than to die. The ISO and the ISO Half-Breed…_

Quorra and Raf, no…he won't hurt them!

_Imperfect, 'Sam' was imperfect, must rectify that…_

Sam kept screaming as the virus tore through him more and more of his light burned orange.

_Perfected. _

The poor creature trembled, sobbing, he couldn't fight…not anymore.

CLU smiled.

"Look at him," he ordered.

He did and saw his reflection in his eyes, my armor light was brilliant orange, even my eyes were the same orange.

"Your name is Defcon," he told him, "You belong to me and will obey my every command,"

"My name is Defcon," what once was Sam Flynn repeated, obediently, "I belong to you and will obey your every command,"

CLU's eyes gleamed and he pressed a switch, releasing Defcon from his bonds…The Corrupted User's hands fell to his sides, held slightly apart, ready for action.

"Identify," CLU commanded.

"Designation: Defcon," Defcon rasped, voice strained from the User's screams.

"And your purpose?" CLU asked him.

"To serve CLU and to obey all orders from CLU,"

His expression grew joyous and he put a hand on Defcon's shoulder.

"What do you think of Users?" he asked.

"Tyrants," Defcon answered, "They betray us after they use us. They are not to belong on the Grid,"

"And ISOs?"

"Parasites," Defcon replied, wondering why he was asking him all these questions, CLU knew his answer would be the same as his, "A virus that must be destroyed,"

"And…what of Half-ISOs?"

Defcon froze. His nose crinkling as his amber-orange eyes flashed darkly.

The look of disgust on the corrupted User's face was all the answer CLU needed.

"You have your first order then," CLU told him, "Destroy all ISOs and Half-Breeds if they should come onto the Grid,"

He gave a nod and flipped a switch on the back of Defcon's neck armor, causing a black helmet to encase his head, so dark that no one could see in, but Defcon could see out. He clapped the new Enforcer's shoulder.

"This will be an enjoyable experience, Defcon," CLU smiled.

Rinzler, as great as he had been…

Had just been replaced.

Soon, all would fear the name Defcon just as they had Rinzler.

* * *

Far overhead…the white star of the Portal winked out.

**So, I might do a throwback chapter next, or I'll write up how Tron and Beck found Quorra and brought her to Flynn...along with those two finding out that Jack, Raf and Miko have entered the Grid.  
**

**Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)**

**Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)**

**Máriessë ar mára tecië**

**Fair well and fair writing**

**Elhini Prime signing off.**


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